settingatthepoolofgrace

Man is a very unique creation, the example of intricate design. He was created in the image of his creator and was perfect in the beginning. Perfect hands reached into the dust and formed what would become his caretaker, companion, and child. He named him Adam.

They communed together in a beautiful unblemished garden home,watching his creation care for the garden and all the other creatures the creator realized Adam was alone. Once again he began the work of creating, he put Adam into a deep sleep.

Removing a rib from his side he enclosed it in flesh and presented to Adam his help mate. Being that she was taken from man she was called woman. Her name was Eve. Man’s perfection was marred by his disobedience.

Everything changed, they were evicted from the garden paradise they had inhabited. Though his children had disappointed their father his hands made them clothing for a covering.For his punishment Adam was required to work .

So it began, by his hands and the sweat of his brow he would provide and care for his family. The ground was cursed and only by his toil would it produce for him. He had to have busy hands .

As our creator used his hands to create man, to heal,comfort, to cover and protect so are our hands to work for the good of others. Hands that wipe away tears, hands that carry the weak,hands that feed the hungry, hands that shelter the homeless,hands that clothe the needy, hands the comfort the hurting and the sick .

We are an extension of the Creators hands……BUSY HANDS.

Her faint cry was heard even though a short distance separated them. Her little eyes remained shut as she squirmed in her bed.Her little feet slightly protruded from the blanket that covered her. The sunshine peeking through the window cast shadows against the wall of the animals dangling from the mobile hanging above her head.

As you lifted her the sunlight touched her little face, her eyes opened to your smile. The journey of hearts intertwined  began the moment you first saw her little face, the pain of her delivery was forgotten and joy filled every fiber of your being. As if life was preparing you for the journey flashes of the past flooded your mind.

All the wisdom of the mothers before you saturated your thoughts. Your mother being your greatest example of a mothers love. Love that is unconditional, self sacrificing, forgiving,generous, and ever lasting. Her touch gentle, yet; strong. Hands that worked continuously to improve your life, comfort you, and wipe away tears.

Now your time has come to step into the role of a mother. Gazing lovingly on this little princess cradled in your arms causes your heart to smile. She will rest peacefully in your loving arms as you rest in the loving arms of a loving Father. In him is strength to lead as well as follow. In him all things are possible. In him is parenting successful.

In him there  is peace during turmoil and as you lean on him your patience will bloom, love will grow, and your character will become as his. Your journey will not be carefree, life is filled with trials. Your Father will never leave you alone to fight the battles. you can rest assured he will hold you in his loving arms because you are his child.

His love will cradle you just as you cradle your bundle of joy, in loving arms. His love will cover you because he created you to be the center of his joy and spend eternity with him.

Do we receive rewards according to our actions? Before we act do we consider the consequences of our actions? Do we realize the power behind the words spoken in anger or the rage that causes one to strike out against another. Who do we give control too when we are not in control?

Who do we hurt the most when we lose control? It may be our parents, children,siblings,or spouses. Most of the time it is those we profess too Love. Most of the time we justify our actions to ourselves there by feeling no quilt or remorse for the harm we have inflicted  on someone else.

What if the shoe was on the other foot, how would you react to being treated as you have treated others?  The word of God teaches; we will be judged by the same standard we have used to judge others, what we have sown is also what we shall reap, and when we are not displaying the character of the Father we are displaying the character of the evil one.

Hold on, do you mean if we are not following one we automatically follow the other? There are two forces in this world, one is good the other evil. We must choose which one governs our heart. This is the struggle within man, to make the right choice. All of our actions will be governed by who we choose to serve.

We must realize when we give our control to anger, rage, violence, hate, indifference, pride , unforgiveness, or envy we have made the choice to serve the evil one.  We will be deserving of our reward which shall be destruction. God has promised that all sinners will be removed from the earth when he returns.

When the ruler of the universe controls our hearts we will have instructions for successful living through the Holy Spirit. Our consideration will be for all creatures, our actions responsible and we will accept when we are hurtful to others and seek forgiveness. We will display kindness, understanding, forgiveness, compassion, self control, and love for all.

God has promised us that even when we make the wrong decision he will forgive us when we call on him and repent for our actions.We will not be treated as we deserve but our reward will be life in abundance and eternity with him. By choosing to give our hearts to him we make the right choice.

We have been warned, the word of God tells us that those who choose to serve the evil one will share in his judgement and destruction. We will be deserving of and will receive eternal DEATH.

When you can’t see the way clearly, trust there is a God who sees the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end. He sees through the dark shadows of your life.When your obstacles are as tall as mountains and your valleys filled with rocky roads, trust there is a God who brings low the mountains in your life and makes smooth the roads you travel.

Life is filled with unexpected circumstances, doubt, and discouragement. Sometimes it may seem as if it has started raining in your life and it will never stop. Those who say they love you the most seem to avoid you. Friends become judgmental and desire to spend less time in your presence. There are times when you feel you are stranded alone on an island floating in the middle of the sea.

No one seems to understand what you are going through. You try not to bore others with your troubles,yet; they consume your every thought and waking moment. There is a remedy, it is free of cost, and readily available to you. It will relieve the stress of all your burdens, give you back your joy, remove storm clouds and let the sun shine again.

The requirements are simple; call on the name of Jesus the Christ, ask for help, yield to his will and trust he has heard you and he will answer your call. His love for you is unconditional and his arms are ever ready to receive you. He only requires that you….

TRUST and BELIEVE

Planting requires good soil, whether flowers or food the soil must good to produce. The soil must be broken up and tilled before the seed is planted. This still may not guarantee your seed will yield a crop or that flowers will bloom.

Some people say that those who have a knack for planting have a green thumb, whatever they plant grows. As if by magic their effort is rewarded with success. That old saying if at first you don’t succeed  try, try again could easily apply here.

When you try again something must change. You may have to start your seeds in small containers, water and nurture them until they begin to grow then transplant them in your prepared soil. Once they are transplanted their little roots stretch out and embed themselves deep into the soil seeking a strong foundation.

There are times in  life when nothing seems to work, every avenue you travel leads to a dead end. You find yourself standing in front of a impenetrable brick wall. Where do you turn? who will help? what will you have too  do to overcome your obstacles?

Like that seed sometimes it is necessary to be uprooted from what you consider your normal environment to find success. We too must be transplanted and our roots embedded in new rich soil. That soil is found in the garden of our Creator made rich by the blood of sacrifice.

Soil that strengthens our resolve,builds our faith, wraps us in joy, and grants inner peace. Peace that will sustain even through time of turmoil. No matter the obstacles when we are rooted in the soil from the Masters garden our foundation is sound and unshakable.

The deeper our roots extend into the soil  the greater will be our reward. When we begin to bloom the character of Christ will emerge, love will guide all our decisions, the task of spreading the Gospel our goal and finding the lost our mission.

If you find or feel you’re stagnate where you are; seek the Father’s face, his guidance and instruction. It maybe he is preparing you for a transplant into new soil where you can bloom into the radiant flower he destined you too be.

As the weather gets warmer people do what is known as taking vacations. They leave their mundane daily chores and vocations to do whatever they want to do even if it means doing absolutely nothing.  If you are one of the fortunate ones your vacation can last as long as 4 weeks taken at one time or spread over a period of time.

No matter how long everyone looks forward to vacation. Some save for months toward the perfect vacation and some save for years for what they deem to be the vacation of a lifetime . Some desire to travel the world, some just want to drive to see relatives they haven’t seen in awhile and then there are those who just don’t want to be on a schedule or punch the time clock.

Vacations can be many things, there is no limit to what the mind can conceive. When we plan for this time we fail to consider that danger may be lurking in the shadows waiting for us. The evil one will claim every opportunity to cause  us distress and grief. Seldom in our planning do we consider the “what if’s” that could happen.

Lost documents, credit cards, or simple car trouble become major events when not prepared for them. This turns our amazing adventure into a nightmare. It can be little things that cause discontent but will affect every ones disposition and bring unhappiness to all.  However, there is a way to be prepared for whatever may come your way.

It will not guarantee you will not have problems, but it assures you will over come them. The solution for preparing is a very simple one which many don’t think is part of the process. Seek first the face of the Father coming to him in the name of the Son. Declare he is the Lord of your life, give  every concern into his hands, and have confidence he has heard and is in control of all your circumstances.

When this is the first step in your planning, he will open doors before you. No matter what may come up against you as Lord of your life he will be victorious. When you release everything into his hands you will embark on the most Amazing Adventure, one that will last a lifetime and beyond.

A very famous storyteller once told a story about a lost coin. I’m sure if you have ever lost or misplaced money you can identify with the principle of this story. I have taken the liberty to tell the story from my own prospective if you will indulge me allowing me to do so.

It was the largest sale of the year, money was set aside each week anticipating finding some great bargains. The day had finally arrived, in preparing she went to her hiding place to retrieve the money .

No money, panic stricken she tried to remember if this was the right place, Had she forgotten where she put it? She searched everywhere that came to her mind, yet; still no money.

As she continued her search she realized the purpose for the money was no longer as important to her as finding the money had become. Sometimes in life we find ourselves in this same position.

We lose so many things that we feel are not important on the surface, but if we are honest with ourselves we would acknowledge they are worth searching for. Finding lost things may not always be easy.

Sometimes it requires more effort then we are willing to give. Lost things can come in the form of broken relationships and denial of a loving God. However, we must be persistent as the principle in the story was.

The search continued all that day until suddenly there it was, the money she had so diligently searched for. The search was over and anxiety was replaced with great joy. So much joy that she had to share it with friends & neighbors.

We must be diligent in our search to find and restore what is lost in our lives. Relationships that were broken by misunderstandings, mistrust, or the interference of outside forces should be sought out and healed with forgiveness.

God the father has been and will continue to seek out his lost children. They may have forgotten him but he has never forgotten them. His heart has a void where they belong, their names are written in the palms of his hands, and he greatly desires to restore them  to his family.

There are evil forces that create obstacles to keep the lost separated from the father. These obstacles can come in the form of lies feed to our minds, promises of grandeur and all manner of deceptions. Be not deceived the father will not leave you.

He is reaching out his hand to pull you to safety, he will forgive your forgetfulness and restore your joy with such great joy you will have to share it with all you meet. It is said “the angels rejoice when one soul that was lost is found”.  Are you that ONE?

A rainbow appears after the storm,it represents God’s promise to never destroy the world again with a flood. The many colors of the rainbow intertwined produce a brilliant display of God’s love for the world. A world that had become so tarnished by sin it grieved his heart and had to be removed from his sight.

Love cried out “one more chance” and eight were spared to start again. The air clean and fresh, the grass greener then before; regeneration had begun sin would be no more. Arrayed in her new apparel the world spread her wings to fly. She had been given new life.

Once again people covered the land, like the different colors of the rainbow so were his children. Different in their skin tones, languages, shapes and sizes. However; all still his children, all beloved by him, and all one family. His Family , though different all united in humanity; a world reborn.

Man was given a second chance but one selfish act and things changed, sin entered the world again. The desire for fortune and fame caused some of his children to stray. The weak and defenseless around the world became prey for the strong. Telling those who had not they don’t belong.

Evil has infected the hearts of men, violence permeates the air and all hope seemed to be lost. But the father watching quietly has not left his children alone.He stepped down from his throne clothed himself in humanity and made earth his home. He came to brake the evil one’s control, giving his children a chance to be free.

The price to be paid required a sacrifice, the death of the only sinless life. His children once again unified….One people, one world  with ONE FATHER

Life is a precious gift, no matter the circumstances as long as there is life there is hope. The greatest joy a mother’s heart will feel is felt with her infants first smile, the first “I love you” from her child’s lips and their first steps into adulthood.

Trials will come, they are necessary for growth in faith, understanding of self, and progress. What you consider success will determine what you are willing to do to attain it. You become a product of what you feed your eyes, your ears, and your mind. If you thrive on love , love will be produced. If you thrive on hate, hate will be produced.

To acknowledge the presence of God in all things is the beginning of wisdom. All nature testify’s he exist. Mans limited control & understanding testify’s he exist.  The many mysteries in the universe testify’s to his existence. Little things can make big impacts on our lives; smiles, hugs, laughter, and yes even tears.

All are expression of unconditional love. Forgiveness frees the soul too shed the chains that bind it in envy, hate, misunderstanding and bitterness. God is never far from those who love him. His joy is our strength, he will provide our daily needs, shelter us from the storms and guide us through every decision in life.

His love is everlasting, it is expressed in the sunlight, starry nights, a gentle spring rain, and the song of birds filling the air.Life is to be celebrated for the love that binds people together, memories created that flow through the mind like an epic drama. Lives intertwined in love one to the other.

Love that transcends time to encompass the past, the present and reaches into the future.These are life lessons for which I am truly grateful. Thank you Father for little smiles and big hugs, the joy from little voices saying I love you grandma, and for the desire to love unconditionally.

Thank you for not allowing me to stray too far from you. For manner in times of hunger, shelter in time of storm and your out stretched hand in time of need. You have never left me alone .

 

If you could reclaim one moment in time what would that moment be?We know there is no permanence in this world, change is inevitable. Transformation occurs in all created things; in nature, the animal kingdom and in all human kind.

Time waits for no one it moves at a steady pace. We often fail to realize the importance of the moments of time we are graced with. The opportunities we fail to capitalize on become time lost and is gone forever. Words unspoken lost, memories waiting to be made lost, and love not shared lost.

Procrastination , a tool of the enemy causes us to idly  away our days believing we can reclaim the time lost in idleness.Time is a precious commodity and should not be taken for granted. The giver of time expects us to use the gift with wisdom, produce positive change, and impact our environment in a loving way.

Time doesn’t guarantee tomorrow which makes today so very important.Time stood still on Calvary’s hill as the creator of time gave his life for a lost world. The darkness covered the sky in the midst of the day, silence fell on creation as the creator gave his last breath.

So many years have passed since that dreadful day, mankind has strayed so far from the story of loves sacrifice. The thief of time has confused our minds with the games he plays. Our time is running out, we don’t know how much we may have left. Each of us will cross the threshold when time will be no more.

Take hold of the hand that holds time and walk along side of him. He will lead and guide you through each moment of time, his love in you  will leave little droplets of love all along the way.  The thief of time is defeated no longer will he have power over you.The master of time is holding your hand and he will never leave you.

When your time is no more and you say farewell to the world you know, the master of time stands ready to welcome you into eternity’s Door.