settingatthepoolofgrace

The day fades as the sun goes to bed, the moon’s soft glow enhances the night. In the cities the lights from the buildings, the traffic, and street lights dotting every corner sheds more light against the darkness of night.

As you travel away from the congestion of the city scene the senses are awakened by the stars on full display in the heavens, the majesty of the universe against the blackness of night. No obstructions clutter the view, God’s workmanship illuminating every fiber of your being.

Each new day the sunlight once again invigorates, renews, and brightens our lives; we begin again the journey of life.  Though the sun rises, for some; the darkness is unending. The hold so great no light is penetrating, doubt and fear are constant companions.

They seem to walk in light but are hostages to the darkness consuming their lives. Loveless actions, harsh words spoken, having no compassion, an unforgiving spirit, and selfishness feeds the darkness that continues to feast on the soul.

When you allow the darkness to enter ONLY the Brightest Light can repair the damage, it is the “Son of Righteousness” who has healing in his wings.  When you choose to be free, you can call on his name; the greatest name in Heaven and on the earth.

He will come to your rescue, his light is all consuming; no amount of darkness can exist in his presence for there is no darkness in him, ONLY new life.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

 

Conversations usually have two or more participants debating a subject. When the discussion has ended there will be one or more considered the winner, point made; the loser or sometimes a stalemate  leaving room for the conversation to continue another time.

As participants in the human experience we each have a voice in our universal conversation. No matter what the subject may be our opinion will not be heard if we are afraid to speak. Sometimes it is hard to be heard over the roar of those who feel they are more important than we are, but; it is important to wait patiently until your voice can be heard.

We must recognize our opinion has merit and can give enlightenment to the conversation. When our Father created us we were given a very valuable gift; choice, it was his intention that we enjoy the bountiful world he placed at our disposal. Unfortunately, another crated being of the Angelic host had other plans.

He imagined in his heart he could do a better job than the Creator of all things.  His opinion so strong he started a war to gain control of the Heavenly realm. Defeated and cast out, he began a new mission; all his efforts concentrated on changing our opinion of Our Creator.

The question posed to us is will we serve the Creator or will we serve Satan?  We stand at the crossroad of two opinions; if we know that  our creator is loving, forgiving, compassionate, long suffering, and kind why are we not serving him? The other side of the coin is, if we are not serving him we are by default serving Satan.

In his word the Father has asked all of us this question,”how long will you linger between two opinions?” A choice must be made, we must speak loud and clear that all the universe will hear our choice to follow  the Creator and Worship him only.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

How many of you have made the statement” when I grow up, I’m not going to be like my parents?” They appear to you to be to controlling or restrictive.  How many of you have heard in conversation your name affiliated with being  the wayward child? I was that child, out of 8 children I was most likely to do anything against the norm.

I considered it an adventurous nature, I seem to always do what was not expected from a young girl. While my piers were listening to rock and roll; I preferred jazz, easy listening music and classical’s.  While other girls were still playing with dolls and jumping rope, I was playing basketball and baseball.

It seems I have been a forward thinker for some time, my dream was to be a Ballet dancer, great musician or a poet; however, I was moving through my life to fast.  I kept my mother on her knees in prayer. The simple carefree life of a young adult had lost it’s charm.

Much to soon I found myself caught up in a world I wasn’t prepared for even though I thought I was ready. I was just having fun; the bright lights, music, dancing, drugs, and let’s not forget alcohol were just ways to entertain myself.  When I look back I can admit I was a very wayward child.

Drowning in a cesspool of sin, not realizing how lost I had become; darkness was consuming my life. My joy was artificial, my smile false, and my hope fleeting.  On the surface life was good, it was the quiet times alone with myself that reality stared me in the face; not allowing me to hide from the hopelessness growing inside me.

Has anyone ever felt this way? can you identify with this? I would hate to think I was the only one. However, I found a glimmer of light in a children’s song; “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.” I started a journey to find him, to seek his face; I needed to know who Jesus was and how he could help me.

I called on his name, asked for his help and presence in my life; then I surrendered to his will.  All the results of prayer on my behalf by a praying mother.  He enclosed me in his love; the darkness fled, My was joy restored,  and my life renewed. Hope is not lost, we do not have to remain wayward children.

Jesus can help us move from the stagnation of our past into the bright light of his renewing love. In him we can find new life, only his light of love can dispel the darkness of this world and break the hold of sin on our lives. He came , died, and rose again that we might have life and that more abundantly.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

There are times in our life experience that we can’t seem to find our way. We reach out to those loved ones and friends we think care enough to give instruction, to ease our concerns, or to offer assistance. We often hesitate to do this because we know they have their own issues and problems to deal with.

We don’t want to impose on their time or inconvenience  them with what we are going through. No matter how long the relationship may be we find that we have reservations about revealing our need for help. In some cases those we feel  worthy of  our trust may actually be wolves in sheeps clothing with no true interest in our good.

I heard a saying the other day that reminded me of some who may have our interest at heart, yet; instead of helping, those loose lips spread our dilemma to all who will listen. We are hard pressed to find help we can rely on.  It is at this point when we feel all is lost  we call on the Father of Light, we cry out loud to him expecting immediate results; even after we have made him the last resource we seek for help.

Although he is omnipotent and omnipresent he expects those who love and trust him to make him first in all our life dilemmas. He tells us to pray without ceasing presenting our concerns to him in faith knowing he will do abundantly more than we can ask or think if we align our request with his will for us.  He hears and answers the prayers of his people.

The answer maybe yes and granted immediately, it maybe wait or it maybe no. In all things small or great his love will respond with what is best for us.  Our finite minds can’t understand his infinite ways nor does our limited vision comprehend the magnitude of his power and love.  We must learn to seek his face in prayer as our first priority, listen for his voice of instruction, and wait in faith for deliverance.

There is an old saying” he may not come when you want him, but he is always on time”. No matter how long the delay you can be assured he still ANSWERS PRAYER.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

 

In our world life is filled with the unexpected, the car malfunction that causes an accident, a simple cough turns worse and you become a patient in the hospital, you are not sure how it happened but your house burns to the ground and the most devastating of all is the unexpected death.

Every person deals with one or more of these dilemma’s in their lifetime. For some it presents a large financial burden as well as an emotional one. There is a remedy for when these things happen if you can afford it, it is called; Insurance. Insurance is a form of protection that is purchased to provide relief from financial devastation in the event one is faced with one of life’s dilemmas.

It can be purchased according to your needs; fire insurance, health insurance, car insurance, flood insurance, home insurance and life insurance are the most common. I’m sure there maybe insurance for just about anything you can think of in today’s world. However, there is one very hugh dilemma in  this world that can’t be covered by man’s created instrument of protection.

It’s name it Sin, no amount of money can protect from the virus known as sin, it’s infectious;causing pain and heartache to everyone it touches.  It’s subtle, at first nothing appears to be wrong, life is filled with enjoyment.  Little by little the things you are willing to do to sustain that enjoyment begin to change. The question becomes how far are you willing to go? what or who are you willing to sacrifice to fulfill your needs?

Traits you didn’t realize were in you begin to surface; greed, selfishness, envy, hate, and the desire for power stare you in the face as if a reflection from the mirror.  The sin infection is gaining momentum, it’s intention is to consume you completely leaving you no hope of recovery.  There is a remedy, it can’t be purchased with money or material things; the good news is it’s free to anyone who wishes to be cured of the sin disease.

It is the pure cleansing blood flowing from the side of the Creator’s Only Son.  Only through him can the captive be set free. When the gift of cleansing is received the soul is fortified with the seal of his protection. His Angels are given charge over you and his Holy Spirit becomes your mentor and guide through life’s dilemma’s.  The unexpected will still come , you will still be caught off guard in some cases; but he will be your burden bearer.  Now the question becomes, are you insured? Who is your insurer?

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

Most of us remember playing these two games as children, Simon said and follow the leader.Both require you to do whatever the person in charge of the game tells you to do. If Simon said it you must do it, but nothing can be done if Simon doesn’t say; if you move without Simon you’re out of the game.

If you are following the leader, you must do what the leader does; if you can’t you are out of the game. Although we seem to leave these games in the youth of our past as we become adults, life in many ways resembles these very games from our youth. Most of us finish our education and get employment or start business’s.

No matter which we are required to do certain things to be successful; failure to do them leads us to loss, we could be fired from our jobs or our business might have to be dissolved when we make the wrong decision . Leadership and who we choose to follow is very instrumental in the well being of our lives.

Everyday we must make a choice to lead or follow, each carry great responsibility. Before we can be good leaders we must first know how to be good followers. Life will give us many obstacles, temptations, and distractions; to overcome them we must have the tools to make the correct choice.  It’s through leadership we learn these tools, but; if we follow the wrong leader we are doomed to failure.

There are two leaders who determine the destiny of each person on the earth, we must choose who to follow. Making the right choice is imperative to our success or decline. How do you know who to choose? Each of these leaders have placed their credentials before us for review prior to our decision.

The first is Jesus the Christ, he offers undeniable,self sacrificing love, help in time of trouble, unexplainable joy, peace in the storms of life and forgiveness in our times of weakness.  He doesn’t promise there will be no trials but he does promise he will see us through them. He doesn’t say there will be no sickness but he assures that he can heal our disease.

Should we choose to follow him we may lose family and friends as well as the worlds riches, but; he will send us his spirit to be with us always, give us of heavens bounty and eternal life with him.  The next is Satan, the ruler of this world in which we reside; he will offer us fame, fortune, power and the appearance of importance.

He will develop in us greed, selfishness, indifference to the needs of others,hatred for all God the Father loves, and frozen hearts lifeless and loveless. He will blind us to the light of true love, he knows the love of God transforms all it touches. He will keep us in the darkness hidden from the light.

Should we choose to follow him we may gain the worlds riches, popularity among men, and for a time power; but, eternal death total destruction will be our destiny. These are our two choices, who will you choose? don’t be deceived you can’t have it both ways; a choice must be made.  Eternal life or eternal damnation is not a child’s game, the consequences of your choice will determine your end; choose wisely.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

Yesterday is  over, tomorrow may never come; we only have now. Each waking moment means we must count our blessings, love our friends and family, make the time we have meaningful, and leave the essence of love in all we touch.

Time is unforgiving it will not allow us to reclaim whatever we have misused or lost; it continues to pass, not waiting on anyone.  Life can be cruel not allowing us the opportunity to “mend our fences’s”.

Ill spoken words, unresolved heartbreak, and grudges held to long with no forgiveness. Life is but a whisper; a gently breeze that blows for a time, a flower blooming today but blown away in the wind tomorrow.

Death, sleep that never ends; there are times it is expected.  We know how but not just when, it becomes a waiting game.  We share each moment of the journey with our loved one knowing we will soon have to say goodbye.

To hear their last words, touch them for the last time or tell them you love them. However, the unexpected is never expected; the phone rings in the late hours of the night, tragedy is calling.

You fight back tears and shock as you hang up the phone trying to remember the last time you spoke. It was a silly argument, you should have let it go; now it’s to late. They will never know how sorry you are.

You thought you would have time to resolve the problem and renew the relationship. Death is a silent visitor who comes sometimes without notice; unfinished business remains unfinished, unspoken words can never be heard, and time will still march on.

You think about that old spiritual “Home going”, the words “when you hear bout my home going, don’t worry bout me, it’s just another soldier gone home” while you continue to think of the things that should’ve been said.

Don’t let it’s to late be the words you say, take the opportunity while you still have today; correct the past, start anew, letting those in your life know they are important to you. Death is a part of our experience, everything the lives will die.

The question is will the home going be a sweet goodbye?

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

Every choice is not fetal, though some can be; each mistake doesn’t last forever, though some can have a lasting affect. To some a mistake and a choice are considered the same, but; they are totally different. Before a choice is made you consider the pros and cons of the decision then you choose whether or not to make it.

However, with a mistake you make the choice thinking the outcome will be what you intend it to be without thinking the results can be different, but you are wrong. There are instances when your choice can cause loss of life, a mistake as well can bring the same. Each opportunity you are given allows you to shed the wrong choices and mistakes made like a snake sheds his skin, leaving it behind.

From each experience you are to learn the lesson that experience teaches, it will either be advantageous or detrimental to you depending on how you use the knowledge from that experience. Every day of life gives you the chance to start over, to change your yesterday; apologize for any harm you may have caused, correct any wrongs and seek forgiveness.

I know that sounds simple, yet; any change you make requires the desire to change. To rid yourself of the old nature and step into a new nature in the only hope we have that brings clarity of thought which is found in God’s only son; Jesus the Christ.  The old nature is infected with the sin of the world in which you live, it is like an onion with layers that have to be peeled away.

The layers of envy, lying, selfishness, dishonesty, hate, malice, self righteousness, laziness and indifference just to name a few. When Christ enters the life his love lights up the whole being erasing anything negative from the life of man. Evil cannot persist in the environment where love rules, love changes everything it touches.

The old man dies in the presence of the love of Christ and a new man emerges filled with his love, character, joy, and clarity of thought. Mistakes become rare and choices are made after consulting the Holy Spirit, with this change you are given the gift of starting over.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

The count down has begun, as one year ends another begins. One songwriter said” everything must change, nothing stays the same.” “There are not many things in life you can be sure of, but; the young become the old and mysteries will unfold,  that’s the way of time; nothing goes unchanged.”

Yes, it is true time will cause change to take place; the anger we hold on to so closely becomes unimportant, the reason for the argument unclear, the desire to rekindle the friendship seems to occupy our thoughts and we are willing to forgive and forget.

Old things must fade into the past that new life can spring forth. Every life journey will end in some form of death. Death to selfishness, hate, loneliness, indifference and eventually death of the physical being.  However, death is not the end as some seem to think.

Each fall the face of nature changes, the trees lose their leaves as they turn brown with death and blow away  in the wind; the beautiful green grass of the  fields withers and fades. Everything prepares for Winter’s sleep of death. Yet, change comes with the Spring and life begins again.

The fields once again are clothe in their dress of emerald, the trees awaken; their leaves full granting shade to all who would rest beneath them. Treasured relationships are renewed as new ones are formed. We enjoy a new vitality, a spring in our steps, and a renewed vision for our future.

We plan our strategy and move forward in confidence as if our success is guaranteed. Life holds no guarantees it closes in on us just when we least expect it to. It changes our plans, causes worry, and makes us question the outcome of our circumstances.

So we begin, again; this time we look for something that will ensure our success. We know it must begin with us changing, but we don’t have the understanding, strength, or ability to change ourselves nor do we know everything we need to change.

The answers we need are found in the eyes of love, the arms of love and the heart of love. A love that was given to us from the first time we opened our eyes to life. unchanging love that has been our constant companion even though we may not have recognized or accepted it’s presence.

It is when we open our hearts to this love we experience the greatest life change. The old self dies that new life can begin, life in the fullness of joy.  Our journey will still be filled with challenges, rocky roads, some ups and some downs, but; we will see them through new eyes, unfailing strength, and a new vision.

Surrounded by the love of Jesus the Christ and through him all things can be accomplished successfully.  We must accept that change is inevitable, that death will come; however, in Jesus we can live forever. When he returns he will call our names and we will begin, again; death will be no more.

My revelation as  sit by the pool of grace

The greatest pleasure we enjoy is meeting with family and friends we haven’t seen for a time, catching up on each other lives. Finding out the latest gossip, the secrets we vowed not to tell, and the embarrassing moments that made us laugh at ourselves.

Conversations that are sometimes meaningless and sometimes serious; we seem to be able to talk  for hours. There are times tears are shed, uncontrollable laughter heard, then there are moments of silent reflection.

There are circumstances in our life’s journey that require us to gather with those we love  and hold dear to us. Celebrations of births, deaths, great accomplishments, and special holidays. It is at these occasions the family comes together.

Some of these occasion are mile stones in our journey, promotions, graduations, new births, and two who decide to become one in marriage. We come from home and abroad to share the joy of love with each other.

All these give us something to talk about; there will inevitable be someone who for unexpected reasons can’t join the celebration, there will always be incidents to make us laugh or cry, and someone taking the unexpected photo.

However, everyone tries to prepare to be with their loved ones at Christmas time. Christmas is the one celebration that everyone wants to be with family and friends they love. Some will come from across town and some from across the country, but all will be present and accounted for if possible.

At many family gatherings the Night before Christmas will be the story told, but; the story that should be told is one of the baby born in a stable, laid on a bed of hay surrounded by animals.

A willing participant in the plan of salvation for all God’s fallen people. Redemption provided for all who would seek to be free from the chains of a sinful world. Had he not been born all would be lost, no hope for salvation.

This baby would carry the sins of the world on his shoulders, who would make the lame to walk, and the blind see. This baby who would walk on water, calm the raging sea and give his life on the cross of calvery for sinners like you and me.

This is the story that should flow from our lips to each ear willing to hear. A story we should be willing to tell everybody without any fear. Christmas was the season chosen to celebrate his birth, but the day is not as important as the fact he chose to come. So it’s up to you and me to tell his story to everyone .

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace