settingatthepoolofgrace

Not every smile is one of joy, many of us hide our pain and heartbreak behind a smile. The outward appearence dosen’t always display the inward experience. smiling faces don’t always reveal the truth. We meet each other sometimes we shake hands or hug all with a smile on our face, but; what does our hearts say? Dose it pump with excitement or joy at the touching of the hand or the embrace one with the other?

Is jealousy, envy, or mistrust seething on the inside as we give the outward expression of joy and happiness. The smile we wear is just a mask we put on to cover up the truth of what we are really feeling.  However; there is no guarantee the deception won’t be recognized.  There are times when no matter how we try even our smiles can’t hide the pain we are feeling inside.

It is during these times we must reflect on the experiences in life that bring us to a place of joy; the first laughter of a child, their first words spoken, their first steps, the first time your heart fluttered at the words “I love you”, and the first smile the graced their little face.  Our life experience will not always be those which promote joy & happiness, cloudy days will from time too time darken our sky; but they will not last.

When storms come they bring cleansing, restoration, and rainbows.  As we whether the storm we grow stronger to meet the next challenge we might face. Every new opportunity will provide us a reason to smile, not of necessity; but of accomplishment. The joy derived will be a outward expression of the love we have inside, it’s glow so radiant it will warm all that it’s light falls upon.

It will be a direct reflection of the Fathers love streaming through us. He is constantly watching over us calling us to partake of his love which never ends, his joy which cannot be measured and happiness with him which is eternal. He invites us to remove the mask we hide behind and allow him to give us a true reflectin of joy in our smiles. Joy that will shine even through the darkest clouds.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

There are numerous ways to travel. Car, train, bus, by air, and walking.  In most of these forms of travel there is a cost involved.  When moving by automobile you must have gas, by train, bus, or air you must buy tickets and even though with walking no monetary value is needed, you must be physically able too endure the journey.

For each journey preparation is required; when should it begin, how long will it take, what will be needed for it’s completion, and what will it cost.  We must also consider if we’ll travel alone or with companionship and what will be accomplished at journeys end. Is there a lesson to be learned? At the culmination of the journey will you have learned the lesson.

Our lives are a constant journey; we travel through moments of joy, tears, disappointment, heart break, sorrow, renewal, regeneration,  high mountains and low valleys. Along the way we interact in the lives of others as they interact in our lives. For some their direction is unclear, their destination unknown, and their preparation unsure. They are just traveling not knowing what the end will be.

Some have not fully committed to the journey, they started but somewhere along the way they  began considering discontinuing the journey altogether;  to them life no longer holds hope for them. Then there are those who’s destination is clear; there journey is to the stars. They have fixed there direction on the path that the saviour traveled.

Their preparation is found in his word and his earthly example. They have committed to his leading. Sometimes they will have inclimate weather, yet; he has promised to bring them into sunshine and cloudless skies. They never travel alone he is their constant companion. They declare their focus is on a home beyond the stars not constructed by the hands of man. A home from which they will never journey.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

What can be accomplished in nine months? Bulbs and seeds are planted in the soil, with the right nourishment flowers spring forth and the food is produced. However, there is a waiting period involved with both.  As the flower grows it peeks it’s green stem through the soil, then the bloom. Our crops do the same, first the vine then the grapes.

In nature, each species reproduces in kind; birds produce birds, elephants produce elephants, and fish produce fish. Man produces man, the woman is the depository of man’s seed; over nine months a little form takes place. A tiny head, two eyes, arms, legs, hands, and feet.  A tiny little nose, mouth, and ears along with a beating heart.

During the child’s development, it feeds on the nourishment the woman is ingesting whether good or bad, the emotions she experiences both happy and sad, and the love she feels is all absorbed by the child growing inside of her.  Birth comes after the child has come to full term which is normally 9 months. There are times, however, when the child comes early. This is a premature birth and may require special care.

Once the child comes forth the woman receives a new title, Mother. With this title comes a lifetime of commitment, unconditional love, selflessness, and sacrifice. Not all women who give birth are equipped to meet the challenge of motherhood, these relinquish their responsibility of being a mother. The man then steps up to accept the responsibility playing the role of both parents.

Likewise, the man also receives a new title, father. Not all men are equipped to accept the challenge of fatherhood which leaves the woman the responsibility of playing the role of both parents. Both the mother and father who rises to the challenge are God’s earthly angels, the child God’s precious gift to them. He instilled a little of himself in each of our hearts teaching us how to love.

Yet, mothers and fathers seem to have a greater kind of love; love that knows no bounds or limits, that always forgives, love that endures through great trials, and love that sees no faults. Love that always seeks good for their loved ones. Just as we are God’s children and most important in his eyes, so is the child in his parent’s eyes.  Just as God in the form of Jesus the Christ did willingly give his life for us, his creation.

So should the mothers and fathers of the children they love be willing to sacrifice themselves. As his angel’s parents are to love and care for their children the same way God our Father loves and cares for us, his children.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

History is a people’s story, unfortunately; it is told from the perspective of those who have conquered failing to realize those who are conquered have their own story to tell. This country has such a story, explorers came to this land and claimed it as their own subjecting it’s occupants to cruelty and even death.

As it grew it became a conglomerate of many people’s stories intertwined into one story. Bits and pieces of each contributing to the whole. Some given a predominate place while others eliminated altogether.  It has chronicled moments of greatness, moments of fear, moments of separation and moments of unity.

The principles on which it was founded was designed to give all the right to live free and worship as they chose. Yet, those who sought freedom; denied freedom to others. We have forgotten as they did the story being written is not ours; but, HIS STORY. He who spoke and light appeared.

He who gave the birds their song, who fills the clouds with his tear and loves all his creatures great and small.With his own hands the dust from the ground he created man, from man; the woman. The two were his crowning glory perfect in every way. A perfect story had begun written by the hand of God.

He gave his children all they needed in a perfect paradise, but being deceived paradise was lost and man was left to pay the cost. The penalty was death, payment for sin; the decay of creation had begun. The master has recorded each day how far his children have gone astray.

He sees and reads the heart, he hears the tears we shed, and his heart is broken with each act of man’s inhumanity to man. With a broken heart, he could have closed the book deciding to write no more; but his love for his children was just too strong to ever let them go.

Choosing to rewrite the story changing its final outcome, he sent to man his only son. The son willingly came knowing the burden he must bear to reclaim the lost children his father holds so dear.Blood was shed to show his love for all who had gone astray. The same love is here for you and me today.

The story still continues each chapter written by love from the hand of God. The legacy of love left by the son has given the world great hope, that when the last chapter is written before the book is closed; all the lost children will have returned home.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

Once upon a time in a place called Dreamland was a little village filled with quaint little house’s, one orphanage, one church, one hospital and one school. In the orphanage lived a set of triplets; 2 little girls and their brother.

Though their lives were dark and dreary most of the time they had fallen in love with 3 little mouselings who’s mother had abandoned them or was caught by those who ran the orphanage. These mouselings were the sunshine in their little lives that erases the darkness.

None of them could imagine how things would change until a new family moved to the town that had no children but wanted a child very badly. The wife and her husband went to the orphanage and instantly fell in love with the youngest girl of the set of triplets.

They were separated and if that wasn’t bad enough, one of the mouselings was caught and sent to the research department at the hospital.  Afterward, the children left behind became very sad, they lost their sister and friend at the same time. Nothing would ever be the same again.

All the children and the mouselings became very ill and no one understood why, their bond of love was broken; the sunlight was drowned out by the darkness. While this story came from the land of dreams; I know of the greatest love story ever written.

The Father loved so much he gave. The son loved his father so much he came and he gave that he who was not worthy could be made worthy through his giving. The gift is eternal life; it couldn’t be obtained by purchase of man. Only by acceptance for it was freely given.

It’s price paid by the Son of the Father at the cross of Calvery. His life was real, not a fable; his death was real, not a fable and his resurrection is real, not a fable. The love he gives is all encompassing it erases all darkness, all fear, all anger, all malice and selfishness from all who will accept it.

When we accept the love of the Son we also have the love of the Father, they are ONE.  As he was resurrected so shall we be if we accept him into our lives, love as he loved and trust his word. His word is not a book of fables but is the sword of Truth.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

For years we have celebrated events the same way our parents did, it became our tradition. We all tend to do things that and familiar and comfortable. Seldom do we consider the origins of the events we celebrate.

As Passover approaches we prepare to celebrate a tradition called Easter. Most of us will dress our children in a new outfit and shoes for their debut in the Easter play, we’ll prepare a special dinner and after dinner an egg hunt.

The celebration of Easter, however; has its roots in a pagan festival in honour of Eastra the Goddess of spring. It was symbolic of the rebirth and renewal of the season which was celebrated at the spring equinox.

The Goddess was represented by the hare(rabbit) an animal that represents the arrival of spring and fertility of the season. The egg also represented fertility as well as the Sun. During the eighth century, this celebration was adopted by the Christian church.

Easter was given a new representation, the Ressurection of Jesus the Christ.  He rose from death on the 1st Sunday after his crucifixion which was the third day after his death on the cross.  This too signalled rebirth and renewal.

The Jewish leaders were so ingrained in their traditions they couldn’t accept the truth in the teachings of the Christ as he revealed them to the people. They knew the miracles he performed couldn’t be explained; yet, they refused to believe in him. Putting him to death.

The question is are we like the Jewish leaders? as Christians have we become so ingrained in the traditions of the past that we miss the sight of the truths of the Gospel we are to share with others. We must be willing to meet those needing truth where they are, not where we think they should be.

This Resurrection season celebrate by sharing the story of unconditional love, great sacrifice, and redemptive grace.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

 

“Let there be” was how it all began so we are told. Before there was any earth our heavenly Father said “let there be” light and light became. He then separated light from darkness; placed the sun, the moon and the stars in their appointed position in the heavens.

Again he said “let there be” and mountains were formed, Meadows, valleys and tree filled landscapes. Bird’s of all types soared through the skies and beast of all types roamed the land. With his voice he called all of these things into existence, he spoke and it stood fast.

Then something special happened;he said”let us make man in our image”. With his hands he formed man from the dust of the ground and with his breath he breathed life into him. Man was the jewel in the crown of God’s creation.

He placed in the care of man all he created, gave him the privilege of naming all the animals and dominion over them. That was in the beginning but now the character of mankind is so distorted it no longer reflects the perfection it was created to have in the beginning.

Man lost site of the Creator falling prey too the deception of the fallen angel Satan who’s voice said ” let there be,” hate, envy, greed, selfishness, violence and disobedience. His presence in the earth has tainted the beauty and perfection of God’s creation; especially man.

Man has no power over this strong combatant, but God is all powerful and has made a way of escape from the enemy through the strength of Jesus the Christ. When we give our lives in total submission too him we can then say ” let there be” peace to the storms of life and we’ll have peace.

We can say “let there be ” joy and sadness will flee, through the power of the Holy spirit we can speak and it will stand fast.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

There’s a saying “the eye is the window to the soul.” These two small parts of the body have a very important function, through them we have vision to the world. Whenever our eyes are impacted we can only vaguely recognize what our vision reveals too us. Many things we come in contact with can cause problems for the eyes.

Sometimes it’s disease, sometimes injury’s, the elements and sometimes physical or spiritual blindness. Blindness is defined as complete or nearly complete vision loss, the ability to see is no more. There was a time when the loss of vision was a life doomed to darkness, one had to make his way with the help of family or friends. There was no cure for this condition.

Today we have medical advancements which allow for the restoration of sight. “For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to man who is good in his sight” it is through this knowledge we have these advancements. We are broken at times by the conflicts of life, interaction with family and friends, and sharing the sorrow of those who are experiencing trials.

We Express this brokenness with tears, they are tears of sadness; we celebrate great joy also with tears, they are tears of gladness.  I have heard it said “God store’s all our tears in bottles”, wouldn’t that be wonderful if true. Too know God takes the time to care about the tears we shed.

Well, he does; he cares about the burden’s you bare and he cares about your lack of vision concerning him. From the time you were conceived in your mother’s womb he has loved you. He watched attentively as you grew and whispered in your ears Everytime he saw you headed in the wrong directions.

He has never left your side even though you choose to walk away from him. He sees the way life has tossed you up and down and wants to calm your stormy life seas. He wants to restore your vision healing your blindness. You will clearly recognize his love for you in all your eyes behold. Draw closer to him and he will draw closer to you.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

 

“It’s your thang do what you want to do, I can’t tell you who to give it too”! Too some of you these words are very familiar, but many of you have never heard them before. They indicate it’s OK to be promiscuous no one can judge the decisions you make concerning how you use your body.

I find it very interesting how the message in the music is sometimes overlooked because the mind is captivated by the rythum or groove associated with the song. The beat captures our attention while the message seeps into our minds under the radar. The messages we receive promote sex, violence, greed, self gratification and building popularity.

The world we live in is so immersed in decay caused by the evil that is spreading like wildfire. We have lost sight of love, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.  We are desensitized to the working of the enemy; he has told us”it’s your thang do what you want to do”, but is it really?

The word of the Father given for instructions to his children teaches we are bought with the price of Holy Blood and we are not our own. Our bodies are to be the dwelling place of his Spirit, it shouldn’t be defiled. We are to respect our body temple by protecting it from anything that is unclean.

We are to guard our minds against thoughts that are contrary to the will of our Creator. Wrong thoughts lead to wrong actions which lead to sin. The enemy is very cunning so we must be alert at all times. We must guard where our feet travel carrying the message of love into dark places.

Unless we’re fortified by the love of Jesus the Christ and under the protection of the Holy Spirit we must not walk on the enemies territories. Although we see decay and evil all around us, we must allow our eyes to feast on the beauty of nature that also surrounds us. There is beauty in everything the Creator has touched.

Because we have been tainted by the evil of this world the Father sent us redemption through the blood of his son, the blood of sacrificing love bringing rebirth. When we accept his gift of redemption we belong to him, no longer are we in control of our destiny. We can no longer do our own thang but must conform to do the Jesus thang.

We must walk in his shoes;love unconditionally all we meet, feed and shelter those in need and glorify the Father in the living of our lives.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

The quarter back is the most important position on a football team. While every member of the team is needed for a successful team, the quarter back leads the ship.

Though little is said about the linebacker, he is the star of the show to the quarter back. His role is paramount to the qb fulfilling his role.

Before the game the coach plans a strategy with his team for a win, he calls plays from the sideline to the qb to implement as the game goes forth.

The linesmans job is to give the qb the time he needs to implement the play by protecting him from the other teams charging players.

When the linebacker does his job, the qb can do his job, the reciever can do his job and a score will be the result of each team member working together.

Miscommunication does happen giving the opportunity for the opposition to make contact putting the qb flat on his butt. However, he must get up shake it off and get back in the game.

He must have the ability to think on his feet, his decision could be the factor that determines a win or loss for his team. Life is sometimes like a football game.

Each day we are given life we plan that days activities, we are the coach. Because we don’t know what the day will bring we stay apprehensive and guarded. Just when we think we have made it life hits us in the face; down we go.

Our defense was inadequate, that defense began with self leading the way. To navigate the game of life we require a coach that is all knowing, who can see beyond our limited scope, and knows the strategy of the opposition we will face.

We will only find that in God the father, when we meet with him in prayer giving him control we set the tone for the day. This meeting implements his will over ours and the ultimate defender is called to duty.

Our defense is unstoppable we are protected on every side through the Holy Spirit which is given by the father at the request of the son. We only need to follow his game plan without altering or doubting any of his plans.

We may not always understand his ways but we must trust they will lead us to victory.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of Grace