settingatthepoolofgrace

The word of God teaches there is a season for everything in the life of man. A time to be born and a time to die,a time to sow and a time to reap, as well as a time to laugh and a time to cry.Death is never in the fore front of our thoughts. We think about how we are going to pay our bills,feed our families and find employment. We never consider the question ,”are we ready if death should come?.” “are we prepared to stand before our righteous judge?” Who is Jesus the Christ.

We take the time to prepare ourselves for each day of our earthly walk. We prepare for our education,marriage,birth of children, retirement and some of us for death. We know there is a time appointed for all men to die,however; the day and hour of death is in the hands of our creator. In Gods word we have the assurance of eternal life through Christ Jesus.

Eternal life in a world reborn,a world without pain,fear, worry, sorrow or death. God loves us so much that he allowed his son to die that we might have the opportunity to be reborn. To shed the sinful natures we were born with and put on the sinless nature of his son. The decision is ours, we must make a choice. Only through Jesus abiding in our lives, being lead by the Holy spirit will we be prepared to transition from death to life.

Only when we give Christ control of our hearts and minds; allow him to change our character will we be prepared to receive the gift of eternal life he offers us. When we give our lives to him we can rest in the grip of death knowing our slumber is temporary and we will be reborn when our redeemer returns for his children. The time draws near, what will your choice be? Eternal life or Destruction///

The word tells us to be angry, but sin not. This requires some thought, what happens to us when we allow anger to inhabit our beings?  Do we think rationally, respond logically, see clearly the situation or do we cast everything to the wind and retaliate to whatever action causes the anger.

Anger can be created several ways. Disagreements can lead to anger when one feels their opinion is more important then the other persons. Words falsely spoken can cause anger, a lie can have a very destructive affect on others. Rebellion against authority can cause anger and inflicting pain wither mental or physical can cause anger.

To experience anger is a normal human reaction. However; as Christians we must allow any anger we experience to be filtered by the Holy Spirit. We are admonished to sin not in our state of anger. Only when the Holy Spirit is leading us are we in control of our emotions and not emotionally out of control.

Anger just like love is an emotion and we have the ability to decide how we will allow it to effect or change our behavior.We must be mindful that anger can lead us into  the dark territory of the evil one if we allow it to control us. Uncontrolled anger can lead to uncontrolled violence,  no forgiveness, and self destruction.

We know a soft answer turns away wrath. It is very important we exhibit the character of Christ at all times. The fruit of the spirit should be the determining factor in our response to anger which are love, joy, peace,long-suffering,gentleness,goodness,faith,meekness and temperance. Remembering “whatever a man sow, he shall also reap.”

Have you ever laid in bed with no desire to get up? You feel as if you are on an island alone and nobody understands what you are going through. There are times in our lives when it just seems we are going around and around in the same place not making any progress. We are up to our necks in bills we can’t pay, our children are living their own lives; they only see us when they need us or need something from us.

To top it all off we loose someone dear to us. Loss can come in many ways but  only in death do we feel hopeless. We know that death is a final express of a life. It seems during the Fall and Winter when nature is preparing for her change these feelings are more prevalent. Life slows down, the trees loose their leaves and the earth prepares to rest.

We have more time to contemplate on our lives and what we have accomplished with them. When we allow the worry of life to extinguish the light of love, have allowed selfishness replace kindness, have forgotten to help those who can’t help themselves, and when we fail to see God in even the tiniest of his creations. How can we claim the name Christian.

Cry help,I need a miracle worker. To the foot of the cross we must go, Jesus was and is the healing balm. Only when we go to him can we receive all that we need to sustain us through those times when we loose sight of the road we should be walking as Christians. Only through faith can we over come the winter storms in our lives. Only with his love inside can we put others first.

We are all created in sin and only through the sinless life of Jesus is there deliverance. Jesus is our miracle worker, the gift from a loving Father to his wayward children. Seek his face, open your heart and be Transformed.

Time appears to be an endless stream of moments strung together like pearls. Life experiences that flow from one to the other. The moments turn to hours, the hours to days, the days to weeks, the weeks to months, and the months to years.  Some of us go through our lives with blinders on, we see nothing but what is right in front of us and have no concern for anything else.

Some of us go through our lives with our only focus on self and what possessions we can obtain. Some of us are stumbling through our lives in darkness and confusion.  Then there are those who have found the key to an abundant life.  We forget how fleeting life can be,how uncertain and unpredictable. We hear sayings like “wake up and smell the flowers” but don’t realize we are sleeping.

Each of us will stand at the gate of time and our pearls of life will dissolve and float away.  It is important  while we are given pearls of life to use them wisely.Jesus tells us that he came that we might have life and that abundantly.  He alone is the key. Open your heart and allow him to enter,fully commit to his leading and accept his gift of a timeless existence.

When we give him control we will experience unspeakable joy in time of sorrow, unexplained peace in the midst of the storms in our lives, love that changes a stony heart into a heart of flesh and the love of a father who will never leave or forsake us. When we are broken he is near,he comforts us in our trials and desires to shower his love on us.

He sent Jesus that through him the love of the father would be realized. No matter how long you have been asleep our heavenly father desires to show you great and marvelous things. He wants to give you an abundant life through his son Jesus the Christ. Wake up from your slumber give your life totally to Jesus Christ. When we have totally submitted the flower gardens of our lives will bloom radiantly.

Then when we stand at the gate of time and our petals float away in the breeze, the fragrance of our love will linger in the minds of all those who visit our garden.

Have you ever experienced a bad dream that you just couldn’t seem to wake from? You toss and turn but the dream hangs on,just when it appears the worse is about to happen you find yourself calling on the Name of Jesus. Isn’t it amazing how even when your conscience mind is turned off there is something within us that still cry out to Jesus in time of uncertain danger.

When Jesus is not in control of your life it is like that kind of dream. We stumble from one bad situation to another thinking we know what to do too solve the problem and change the situation. Yet, things go from bad to worse nothing changes. The night of confusion and bewilderment seem to hold us captive in the darkness of uncertainty.

However, when trouble abounds our hope lies in the name above all names, the name of Jesus. When we call on his name chains are broken. When we surrender our lives to him our direction becomes clear and when we make him the center of our lives, they are filled with love and joy.

He is ever present to intercede on our behalf. we have his assurance he will never leave or forsake us. He stands ready to fight our battles and nothing we do can separate us from the love he has for us. He gave the ultimate sacrifice that we might be covered under the umbrella of his love by shedding his blood for our sake.

He died the death we should have died to remove the stain of sin from our lives. Giving us the opportunity to wake up from the darkness in our lives and step into the marvelous light of his love and forgiveness. We do not have to remain tangled in the web of darkness that surrounds a Christ less life. “Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man open the door I will come in and supp with him”.

Allow the love of Christ to shake you and wake you to new life in the brightness of his Glory. Without Jesus in your life the darkness could lead to eternal consequences.  Do you really want to keep sleeping?

Have you ever considered yourself to be a captive? What does the word captive mean to you? The dictionary defines it to mean: a person who is enslaved or dominated, held bound. We never think of ourselves as prisoners unless we have been convicted of a crime and jailed. Confined behind iron bars with no escape for a period of time.

Our freedoms limited, our actions predetermined, and our choices controlled. But, that is not entirely true. We all have been or are captives by the consequences from the choices of our lives. Unfortunately, many of us are still chained by those choices. What are the chains that bind you?

There are so many chains we get caught up in and find ourselves enslaved. Drugs are a euphoric experience that we feel we are in control of until we try to stop using them. The excitement is temporary and requires continued use. Alcohol numbs the mind and distorts our view of the situations we find ourselves in. It invokes irrational behavior and sometimes confrontations.

Greed is a chain we fail to recognize. Our search for success is measured by the amount of money we have,how big the home we have, how many cars we drive,  and how much influence we have. However; we never seem to have enough. Violence is another chain we fail to recognize,we find ways to justify the actions we take which result in hurting another.

We tell ourselves it is because we know what is best for them, they disrespected us or our opinion, we have to show them who is boss or we have to put them in their place because we are more important and they don’t really matter. The most common excuse is they deserved it.

Sometimes it is not physical but verbal, yet; the hurt is the same. The pain caused is still real and the effects devastating. The enemy is constantly finding ways to chain us to the choices we make. He tempts us with riches of the world, power to control &dominate others, and material things that have limited value.

When we succumb to his temptations we are unable to break away by our own strength. We become his captives, enslaved by our own lust and selfishness. Entangled by chain after chain as we seek to gratify our selfish desires until we are so heavily  bound we give in to captivity. Too weak to fight we are overcome with darkness of heart.

Love is filtered through what we can gain for our selves. Do you want to be Free? Have you realized you are enslaved? Are your passions in control of you instead of you controlling your passions? The enemy is very deceptive, he keeps us confused and distracted from the truth of who we have become with him leading our lives. We fail to acknowledge we are not in control but are being controlled by him.

Freedom is available, but we must want to be free. By our own strength we cannot defeat the enemy nor can we escape his grasp. We must believe he is a defeated foe by the blood shed at Calvary’s cross. Only when covered by this blood can the chains of the deceiver be broken. Redemptive cleansing blood that changes the hearts of men.

Blood that was freely given and is available for the asking to all who wish to be released from captivity. It is the blood of Jesus the Christ, the choice is yours. Live in captivity or BE FREE.

Is it real? or is it memorex? this was a question asked by a commercial some years ago. Recording with memorex was said to be so true to life you couldn’t tell the difference. Some of us as Christians are reflecting a memorex story in our Christian journey. It doesn’t matter if we worship on the biblical Sabbath of the 4th commandment  the 7th day or the changed Sabbath by the Catholic church the 1st day we are not the true example of Christ’s Teachings.

Some are Formal Christians, they go to church to worship because it is what their family has always done. They get baptized because it is what is expected of them. They join organizations in the church and are dutiful in their commitment , however; their heart is unchanged, their tongue remains sharp and mistakes are not tolerated . Some are copy cat Christians, they do what they see everyone else doing. They are outwardly connected in the eyes of those who see them, but; the life in secret has not changed.

They sit by the pool of life giving water but choose not to drink. Then there are Christians who have in their own eyes attained such spiritual enlightenment they consider themselves to be Holy. They sit in judgement of the faults and mistakes of others, forgetting that some of them are the same mistakes they have made. so easily they forget the only difference is they are forgiven sinners, yet; they have no forgiveness in them. They find it easy to hold you to a higher standard then they hold themselves.

The title Christian means you have chosen to follow the Christ who is Jesus. Therefore you should walk as he walked. He met no stranger, relieved suffering wherever it was found, feed the hungry, comforted the broken, spoke truth at all times, rebuked wrong with love, and loved those who were considered bad as he loved those that were considered good.

He was constantly at work for the salvation of all men. He went where the people abode in darkness to give them the opportunity to choose light. So the question to you is, when you look into the mirror of your life and compare it to the example of the life of Christ; “Is it REAL or is it MEMOREX?”

It had been a long day, the body was tired and the mind was consumed with worry. Everything that could go wrong, did. I could do nothing but sit in the darkness and wonder what I had done to deserve what seemed to be endless struggle.

The sun was setting and the last gleam-er of it’s light cast amber shadows against the wall, I should turn on the light I thought but there was no motivation too move. Yet; I no longer wanted to be in the dark. For the first time being in the dark became a reality I had not given much attention.

For the first time I realized my circumstances were the direct result of my choices and for the first time I understood this was the consequence. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks, it shook me to my core. As I tried to regain my composure the silence was shattered by a gentle voice saying “I’m here, I’ve been waiting on you” “if you give me your burden I will carry it for you.”

The sun had fully set, I turned in the direction of the voice trying to adjust my site to the darkness that had now consumed the room. There in the corner stood a quiet figure arms out stretched. Suddenly the peace and joy I felt dispelled the darkness I was engulfed by and in my heart I knew without a doubt, I had just met JESUS

I laid my burdens at his feet, accepted his gift of love and forgiveness. The light was turned on in my soul. I now have a new realization, though I may be surrounded by darkness; the light is always with me because of the visitor.

If you are at your wits end and the problems of life are closing in on you, don’t give up. Open the door to your heart the visitor wants to come in and make you a part of his family.

The jury was seated, the bailiff shouted all rise. The judge entered the court room, you may be seated; the trial began. A hush fell over the court room as the prosecutor stood to address the court.  PA: your honor this defendant is guilty of the despicable act of “treason”.  All residents of the earth know the law requires all men to honor “The Lords day” on the 1st day of each week. No other day is to be honored.

The attention of all in the court room turned to the defense table. The defendant sitting quietly starring  at the sunlight streaming through the court room window seemed unaffected by the prosecutors statement. His appearance was worry free as the sunlight grasped his face in its beams. Whispers came from all around the court room breaking the silence. JUDGE:call your first witness. PA: I call #305 to the stand.

PA: do you know the defendant? W: Yes; that’s my neighbor. PA: how long have you been neighbors?. W: 5 years. PA: what can you tell me about this defendant? W: they have a shop on the corner of our street. It is open everyday but Saturday. PA: do you mean it is open on “the Lords day”? W: yes. PA: what else can you tell us? W: as long as I have known them at sundown Friday they stop working or doing daily task until sundown Saturday.

PA: do you know why they do this? W: they say this is the day God blessed and the day we should worship him. PA: thank you, I have no further questions. JUDGE: Mr. defense attorney do you have any questions for this witness? D: no your honor. JUDGE: you may step down, call your next witness. PA: the prosecution rest your honor.

JUDGE: is the defense ready? D: yes your honor. JUDGE: call your witness. D: I call the defendant to the stand. You have heard the testimony against you, have you anything to say in your defense? W: yes, I do; I am in love with Jesus the Christ and follow his example. This may not be your test,yet; somewhere in the world there are follows of Christ that give their lives for their faith in him.

When you accept the love of Christ  you are transformed into a new creature. His love in you will shine forth as the noon day sun and all who come in contact with you will know you belong to him. He told us to love as he loved and should we deny him before men he would deny us before his Father in Heaven. We must be grounded in him to stand in the time of testing.

Sure we have trials and temptations which come to strengthen our faith,but we must have the bread of life and the word of life so deeply rooted in our hearts and minds that we are not shaken in our beliefs.  Are you prepared  to stand for him? Are you willing to live for him? Are you willing to give ALL for him?  Will you be counted among the witnesses that tell of his marvelous works, his amazing love, and his saving grace?

The challenge is before you, will you be a witness for him? Will you share with someone how his hands have touched your life and allow his love to shine forth from you as the noon day sun.

The question is what makes someone think their knowledge is so great it out ways the knowledge of another? Why do they think their opinion on a matter is the only opinion the matters?. They are never wrong  about anything that concerns you but give what you may think about them no consequence or value.  What makes someone justified in taking away the gift given by the Creator from a Creation they did not create?

The question is did human kind create itself in the beginning? from whence came its knowledge? and why are there so many mysteries unexplained? If ones wisdom is so great that he can control everything in his life as well as everything in the lives of those around him, has he not taken the reigns from the control of the ONE who created them BOTH?

What is the basis for this superior thinking? did not Lucifer perceive himself greater than his creator and was cast out of his ex halted position in the Heavenly Courts. What does not come from love comes from evil;love is kind,compassionate, long suffering, forgiving, understanding and respects others as they wish to be respected.

What is not of love is cruel,unjust,dominating, self ex halting, and disrespectful of the right of others to exercise their right to choose. In their eyes others are incapable of making the right decision for themselves  The question is who has appointed them this task? Has knowledge gained made them wiser or wicked? Knowledge without the wisdom of the Creator is unbridled and contaminated by the loveless one. In it is no understanding.

The question is what do you do when faced with  bullies? This is one who usurps the right of others by binding their will to its will through violence or the threat there of. What is their motivation? some try to disguise it as love and concern but there is no love in their actions. Some are empowered by being stronger then those they see as weaker and some have so much anger and self hatred they impose their hurt on whoever they feel they can.

The question was “what do you do?”. You must realize you can not fight against the forces that empowers this behavior, it is greater than you. But there is a Supreme Power that can answer all questions. ONLY he who Created All things can bring BALANCE. He is the giver and sustainer of life, he loves the sinner but hates the sin and ONLY he can remove the pain healing the brokenness in the hearts of mankind.

ONLY he can restore the time the canker worm has eaten,erase the mistakes of the past and regenerate in men NEW LIFE. Seek him while he may be found, then lay your cares at his foot stool. Leave them there, HE is the greatest problem solver.