settingatthepoolofgrace

Each of us have been endowed with five senses;sight, speech, smell,hearing and touch. These gifts enable us to experience the amazing attributes of our creator. Through our eyes we view the beauty of the world in which we live. Natures rolling green meadows, trees dressed in hues of tans, purples and orange, snow capped mountain peaks and oceans blue. Streams and rivers clear as glass teaming with life.

We smell the sweet fragrance of flowers in spring as it floats on the breeze or the coming of a spring rain as it approaches. Our appetites are enticed by the aroma of food being prepared for consumption as well as the unpleasantness of unfavorable odors. In  the distance the sound of an instrument plays it’s melody, our attention is captivated as the tempo becomes clearer. We hear the notes as they rise and fall. A baby crying, laughter, and a gentle voice wouldn’t be possible without speech; the ears and mouth dancing to one beat.

A warm hug drawing one close to the heart, lips against the cheek, water against the skin or the heat of the sun as it radiates.   Simplicity of touch; the magnificence of a master artist. Each stroke of his brush against the canvas of life creating a master piece. Our lives are filled with the wonder & majesty of a loving creator, a forgiving Father, provider and protector. He has woven a tapestry of love into the very fiber  of our being.

He has touched our eyes that we see, our ears that we hear, our lips that we speak, and now he desires to touch our hearts that we might learn how to love. Love begins and ends with him for he is love. A life without him is a life without love.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

For many years I didn’t understand what it meant to love you, I was given a  mother who nurtured me with a warm, loving, and sacrificing spirit. She was my first example of what love should be. In everything she did she displayed your love for me. I was however, caught up in the rituals of what I thought was serving and showing you love.

I didn’t realize then that the change had to come from the inside and that could only be accomplished through the Holy Spirit. I am so thankful for the prayers of my mother,had she not prayed for me I would never have found my way to your glorious light of love. I am so thankful you didn’t cast me away but opened your arms welcoming me.

You washed the dirt from my face and gave me a new lease on life. You surrounded me with your love and my joy is endless. You have made me a rich woman in the land, my children honor me and my grandchildren shower me with love. I am called mother & grandmother by children I did not birth. yet, you have blessed me to be important in their lives .

My friends are numerous, they desire always my good.  We join together in praise and prayer for they love you as I do. I thank you so much for your precious son Jesus, the Holy Spirit and for your endless love, grace and forgiveness.

I awoke this morning with the song “God Restores” singing in my spirit, Just the thought that you restore brought a smile too my face as I lay here realizing you have blessed me with another day of life.That you loved me enough to breathe into my nostrils  your love once again. My circumstances seem to melt away when I hear the refrain “with his healing hands I am made whole”.

I recognize it is only in Jesus wholeness exist, joy can be found in the midst of turmoil,peace when confusion is all around me, comfort when my heart is troubled and only in him is there salvation. I heard it said if my mind stays on Jesus there would be no room for the enemy to interrupt my thoughts with temptations.

Everything begins with a thought, the more I entertain the thought the more the desire to do it grows. If I allow the enemy to control my mind I will exercise my own selfish will and lustful nature. You knew I would not be able to defeat him and you sent me a weapon in Jesus, a shield against my fleshly desires. He places his life before me as an example of your love.

Your law is a template of your character, the enemy would have me believe I can’t keep your Law. He is right because it is my nature to sin but you sent Jesus that I may know your love and mercy. He lived a human existence and sinned not that through him I could be strong and stand against the enemy.

It is my desire to be like him, to keep his sinless life ever before me and to walk in his foot steps as I journey through this sinful world. I am so grateful to know you are a God of restoration and I am RESTORED.

Brake every chain Father, every chain// Chains that consume my thoughts in the late hours of the night, chains that consume my thoughts during the waking moments of the new dawning day. Chains of fear,chains that keep me immobilized,chains that bind my emotions, chains that keep me from hearing your voice, chains that hinder me from making the right decisions,chains of people in my life I need to let go, and chains of worry,stress,confusion and indecision.

Release me Father, I am asking in the Most Holy name of Jesus the Christ; send your Holy Spirit to inhabit this temple with his keeping power. Bind my tongue that it speak only what is pleasing to your ears,cleanse and renew me in the image of your son. Erase the stains of my past and give me a new vision for my future. Strengthen me where there is weakness as it pleases you for I know your strength is made perfect in my weakness.

Give me wisdom that I may recognize my foes and the traps of the evil one and his angels. Reveal to me anything that I have made an idol that it may be destroyed. Take my heart , mind and transform them. I am a willing vessel to your service, prepare me for the tasks ahead; use me as you will according to your good pleasure. I am so unworthy of your mercy and grace, yet; you shower me with them daily.

When my skies are filled with dark clouds, when the rain comes and the thunder roars I can still see the light of your love peeking through the darkness, I can feel you holding my hand and your joy encourages me ; I know it will be over soon. On your shoulder I can lean and you will hold me up right not allowing me to fall. I know only you are the source of deliverance;  I wait on you Father, I wait on you//

Father thank you so much for the pearls you have placed in my life, in 2 days my son will have his 47th birthday and 6 days later I will have another birthday. It seems so much time has passed and somewhere during that time span he became a man, his own self made man.

I never realized the impact my decisions would make on my children until I saw the reflection of them in their behavior. I just assumed I could live as I choose with no consequences to them for my actions. I now know  that if God is left out of my life, I then have no life.

I was carried away on the winds of emotions and false knowledge failing to understand everything begins with God and separated from him I was just a lost soul wandering aimlessly through time. Parents have dreams and hopes that the lives of their children will be better then theirs.

They wish for less struggle in the lives of their children, that they come to know who God truly is, how much he  really loves them and commit to serve him. To seek his face through his son Jesus the Christ who gave his life to redeem the lost misguided sinners of which I was one.

My desire is my son comes to know you Father who’s transforming love changes hearts, minds and characters. Life’s journey is not one of ease, sometimes there will be hills, valleys and even mountains to overcome, yet; if we travel with Jesus he will give us the strength to climb the hills and mountains guiding us to a victorious end.

He can erase the bad choices of our past and forgive the sins of our ignorance. He gives us hope and faith to believe “all things work together for the good of them that love God and are called according to his purpose”. I know some lessons can only be learned through experience and with time.

I have learned it is wiser to find the face of God in ones youth and with time grow deeper and deeper in love with him. I am so grateful I opened my heart so that I could hear the love song being whispered in my ears. I regret the time wasted as I Waller in the pig pen of a filthy world.

Entrapped by a superficial love and enslaved by it’s false glamour. I am grateful my eyes were opened so I could see his out stretched hands biding me to come, so grateful for each time you wiped away my tears, so grateful for each time you minded my broken heart and there were many.

With each passing day you reveal your love for me more and more bringing me new mercies. Your word revives me and brings me peace in time of storms. I rest on your promise to always be with me so I am never alone. So as one year is dying and another is being born I am so grateful to see your touch in everything around me.

I feel the breeze on my skin, I hear the birds sing, I understand our time on this earth is but a whisper and my eternal future will be determined by the choices I make today.  I am filled with great joy anticipating the opportunity to learn more and grow closer to my Lord, to love more, give more and to seek out the lost.

To find those who like me are sinking in  muddy water looking for a way out,to be more obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit, stand firm in my faith and to be a vessel that you can use for the work you would have me to do. It is my greatest desire to bring Glory, Honor, & Praise to you  by the living of my life.

Father where you lead I will follow

So many things to be thankful for as I lay here writing by candle light, I realize how quickly things can change.  No matter how brief the interruption my life is affected. How it is affected is a choice, I can choose to be impacted negatively or I can choose to be impacted positively.

The word of God teaches “in all things give thanks”, doesn’t matter if the circumstances are favorable or not I am to be Thankful. Adversity comes to all but what we do when adversity comes will determine who we are serving.

Through our trials we grow in our faith, through our faith our love grows and in our obedience our trust grows. No matter the situation we are never left without hope. Jesus loves us so much he said he would never leave or forsake us, he is just a prayer away.

Sometimes the pressure of our lives seem to be unbearable and the problems insurmountable. One thing after another falling like dominoes, yet; we can still claim the victory through our loving Father and our redeemer his son. He has invited us to bring our burdens to him and leave them.

So Father I come releasing everything into your hands. Have your way Father God, have your way.

Is waiting a bad thing? sometimes you can avoid problems by short delays in time. Your schedule is set and for some unknown reason you get a slow start. You later find out that had you been on schedule you would’ve been right in the middle of a six car pile up.

The work day has ended and you’re eager too get home, but;wouldn’t you know it the elevator is out again. Though you don’t like the idea of walking down eight flights of stairs, you start down.

When you reach the lobby police are everywhere. The bank in the lobby of the building has been robbed, two are dead and three injured. One of them could have been you. Procrastination in some cases can be a good thing.

There is one, however; who uses this as a tactic to create havoc in the lives of those who serve the great “I Am” and those seeking to find salvation and freedom through him. Satan is his name, deception and murder is his game.

He has no sympathy, he comes to steal, kill and destroy. Too think you can out smart him is suicide. Too even fight against him you must be heavily armored. The armor needed must be of a special origin.

First you must choose to serve under a general who has defeated him in the past, his name is Jesus the Christ. Your relationship with him must be strong, grounded in his Holy word. He must have complete control.

You must be willing to follow his battle plan, no deviation is allowed. You must stay at the ready for war. You should respond immediately to the attacks of the enemy to wait could be devastating.

It is important that you not procrastinate, your strike must be decisive and complete. There is no room for error, the enemy will take advantage of any weakness. You must know the word is sure, your faith is steadfast and you are obeying the general.

You should be immovable leaning on your leader to secure the victory. If you are seeking a way out of the captivity of the enemy, the time is now.  The general is always accepting new recruits, war weary travelers who feel there is little hope. Tired of the chains that bind them.

It is better late than never, but; don’t continue too wait . Seek his deliverance now while the battle is raging. He will heal your battle scars,give you clean clothes, restore your hope and renew your joy for life abundantly.

My revelation as I sat by the pool of Grace.

” I can’t do it today, maybe tomorrow”. “Tomorrow I’m going to wash the car.”  ” I don’t have time now, but I will have time tomorrow.” So  often we find ourselves saying these types of things. We never stop to think that we are not promised tomorrow, today is all we have and even that can change at a moments notice.

Life holds no guarantees, our lives are but a whisper of smoke that could dissipate in the twinkling of the eye. Each day we wake to life is a new opportunity to create change, to help someone, to praise God and thank him for grace & mercy. It is the breath of God that calls us from the sleep of death to a new day of life.

It is important that we use the opportunities we have each day to their highest potential. We must stop postponing things we could do today for tomorrow, tomorrow may never come for you; today may be all you have. Don’t fail to tell someone you love them, hold them in your arms, and enjoy their presence.

Shower them with your sunshine making  pleasant memories before the tears fall. The uncertainty  of life will bring rain clouds and thunder storms, here today gone tomorrow is a reality for some. It is not reserved for a few, we all fall into this category. Yet, we who have a relationship with God the Father and trust in Jesus the Christ can have hope.

Our tomorrows will be ceaseless. Although tomorrow is not promised, the Father has given the opportunity to choose endless tomorrows. Seek his heart, give your self to him, surrender completely to his will and rest on his promise of eternity. None can afford to miss the opportunity to build a love relationship with our Heavenly Father.

We must accept the gift of eternal life offered by the blood sacrifice of our big brother Jesus on our behalf. Procrastination is a devise of the enemy, don’t delay seek them today to secure your tomorrows.

My revelation as I sat by the pool of grace.

A very popular drink on the market today claims”it’s the real thing”. This indicates originality, the first, and it is not a substitution or duplicate of something else. Most of us would search the world from corner to corner to find what would be considered the “real thing”.

But do any of us know what is truly the “real thing”? I’m sure it would be different depending on who you ask. To be independently wealthy for some would be the answer, that perfect job for others,good health would be on the top of someones list and no worries would be most important for some.

Can you say you would be able to recognize it ” when the real thing comes along”? What would be it’s characteristics? How would it look? How would you capture it’s attention? The original world at creation was the real thing, it was perfection before sin marred it’s reflection.

The love God expressed for his fallen creation was the real thing, he gave his life for it’s redemption. The death of Christ on the cross was the real thing, it was the perfect sacrifice. The resurrection of Jesus the Christ is the real thing,it was the beginning of new hope for a dying world.

Love has taken wings through the life of Christ, she has spread herself abroad. She doesn’t care who you are, what you may or may not have, what you may or may not have done, or where you come from; but, is concerned about your journeys end. She loves in times of joy & sadness, in times of trial & tribulation, and she never turns anyone seeking her away.

Her arms are always open to receive the wounded and lost. Her presence transforms the life.She gives all of herself to those who need her. She is the treasure of truth,she is a watchful protector, she is light that shines into darkness and she illuminates the heart of man with  love from the heart of God.

When we accept the love of God in our lives, allow it to change us and share his love with others; we have found what truly matters. “The Real Thing” which is unconditional Love.

My revelation as I sat by the pool of grace.

Many years ago a very popular song asked the question “where is the love”? It was as if love had taken a sabbatical or meet with some terrible end and was no more.  I guess if we stop the rat race we’re in called life and take a long look at the state of our world we would wonder no more.  The answer would be clear, we have become too self involved to love anyone else.

Our main focus is on our own wants and desires. This is not always a bad thing unless we exclude the wants and desires of others from the equation of life. We should be concerned for the quality of life for all living things.  Love has not abandoned us; but, somewhere along the way we lost sight of her. We forgot the joy of love, her beauty,her warmth, her sacrifice, her patience & understanding and her acceptance as well as her forgiveness.

Life closed in on us and we became robotic just going through the motions, but missing the exuberance that love gives to enhance life.  We use the words “I love you” very loosely failing to recognize love is a word that requires action.It is expressed when one heart touches another providing a greater depth of clarity to the soul.

I’m reminded of the greatest story of love ever written. It had a number of different authors, all who painted a picture of undeniable love.  It’s focus pointed to a life of sacrifice, forgiveness, surrender and service to others. This book covers past, present and future. It’s pages are filled with wisdom and knowledge.

Sometimes it is necessary for correction; yet, even with correction love is present. It’s value is immeasurable but it is free to all. It is the story of a loving Father calling out to his children. It holds the secret to finding love again. It’s title is The Holy Bible, open it’s cover,read it’s pages and let love find you//