settingatthepoolofgrace

The ground was tilled, the seed planted and life begins. Growth comes with time, love, and proper care, the more love & care the stronger the results; in every stage of life there will be testing, the stronger the roots the stronger the tree will be. When the angry winds begin to blow it may bend, but; it will not be broken. So it is with the life of man, the seeds planted determine the path that will be walked. The nourishment on which we feed will determine what we give to others.

It is said the universe will give you back what you send out, to receive good you must be the purveyor of good. Unfortunately, many obstacles will be encountered along the path to maturity. Many lessons of life must be mastered, the most important; mastery of self. Our 1st major achievement was to go from crawling to walking on our own, our first clear words came next, then pre school; independence at last. The love we received at home we displayed outside of the home, we learn to be truthful, to share with others and obey our teachers.

Time seems to accelerate; suddenly you’re in high school, then college, next working to support yourself, falling in love and starting a family of your own. The foundation laid grows stronger as your tree of life adds branches. The passing of time requires reflection, as you review the pages of your life story your mind is filled by memories of kids, grand kids and great grand kids; of love, kindness, gratitude, and forgiveness you’ve given to others and has been granted to you.

You wonder if the lessons you learned have been successfully transmitted to those who will be the teachers of the generations yet to be. The lessons designed to keep the roots strong enough to with stand the storms to come. As you approach your golden years you prepare to pass the torch not willing to let the flames die. The question then becomes are the roots fortified? Will the tree continue to thrive? The answer comes “Only time will tell”. The beauty of a life long lived is the legacy left to those coming after, the greatest lesson to be learned is to love your Creator, your self, and others as the Creator has loved you.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

Every year in the month of May we honor our mothers, however; you could say we celebrate motherhood because there are aunts, family friends, and even siblings that step into the role of mother. In the bible we find examples of what motherhood looks like. Gen.1:28 introduces us to the Mother of Humanity, Eve; God blessed them and said “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” The man and woman were expected to populate the earth with people, God had provided everything they would need to thrive in their Eden home; the blessing. In Gen 3:16 something has changed and God pronounced this curse unto the woman He said ” I will greatly multiply they sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thy shall bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee.

This caused me to think, it was not Gods original plan for childbirth to be a painful experience, but; one of great joy. In Numbers 26:59 we meet Jochebed, the mother of Moses, Moses was the youngest of 3 children born to her; unfortunately, her family were in bondage in Egypt and the Pharaoh had decreed all new born males born to the children of Israel be thrown into the Nile river; the curse. Jochebed loved her son so much she defied the decree and hid her son 3mos. When she could no longer hide him she prepared a basket, put him in it and placed it in the Nile; she committed her son to Gods keeping. Her son to be a man greatly used by God in the deliverance of His from bondage, the blessing. The next stop on our journey is at the home of Elizabeth and Zechariah, Luke 1:6 says” both she and her husband were righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.”

However, Elizabeth lived under a curse; she was barren they had no children and now they were both up in age. While in the administration of his office Zechariah was told by a heavenly messenger his wife would bear a child and his name was to be called John. Elizabeth was 88 years of age when she conceived John, she who had been barren all her child bearing years was now pregnant; what a blessing from God. We know the impact her son John the Baptizer has had on their world as well as ours today. The last stop on our journey is the most important of them all, she was a beautiful young girl between the age of maybe 14 to 16 when told she was favored in the eyes of the Most High, what a blessing; not only that but she would give birth to a child and he would be called the Son of God.

Can you imagine how she must have felt, she was a virgin engaged to be married; what would your response be to this message? Mary yielded her will to the will of God as told her by the heavenly messenger. Luke 2:34-35 tells of Simeon’s prophesy to Mary concerning her son, Mary carried the curse of knowing her son would be in danger and eventually killed; a dedicated mother she was present at the cross when He gave His life for the sins of the world. Mothers are important, they are servants; they serve their families understanding they are serving their Lord. They don’t seek rewards, they give all they have to the well being of those they love. They bind the family together individually and collectively through love and action. They season discipline with patience and mercy; they love unconditionally, the responsibility as the family guardian is never relinquished no matter how they may be treated.

The nurturing nature of a mother reminds us of God who gives us life, He nurtures us as we learn, develop, and grow in our knowledge of Him and living a Christian life. Isiah 49:15 states” God will never forget His children like a mother will never forget her nursing child”. The love of God the Father is reflected by everyone who steps into the role of motherhood, it requires a self sacrificing, forgiving, patient and understanding heart. A mother is counted a virtuous woman proverbs 31:30 says “favor is deceitful and beauty is vain, but; a woman that fearth the Lord, she shall be praised. Proverbs 31:26 states “she opens her mouth with wisdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness; 28: her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also and he praiseth her.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

Happy Mothers Day

There were no clouds the sky was bright blue, the sun cascading through the trees cast shadows of splendor over the landscape. The song of birds filled the air with their melodious chirping, the miracle of creation displayed in every direction. How majestic is the handiwork of the Creator, everywhere signs of His love is presented to the eyes. Suddenly the gentle breeze becomes a strong wind and dark clouds fill the sky. In a distance the sound of thunder is heard, a storm is coming.

Life has a way of interrupting our sunny days with strong winds of change; in the twinkle of an eye the rain falls and the thunder roars, these storms are from the enemy of souls; he takes every opportunity to shatter the image of God’s beauty in the eye of mankind; but, after every storm a rainbow appears. This is Gods message to His people He has not forgotten His promise too never destroy the world again by water. In every life there will be strong winds and raging seas.

We have a champion that can speak to our storms saying peace be still, the enemy will be defeated and all of his attacks overcome when we commit our lives to Jesus the Christ; our great Shepard, under His wings we find shelter. By His blood we are cleansed from the stains of this world and given new life in the sunshine of His love. We no longer walk in darkness, all darkness is eliminated by the light emanating from our savior and redeemer.

As long as there is life in the body we will encounter many stormy seas, strong winds will continue to blow, but; we can rest assured that we will survive the onslaught of the enemy because greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. Angels that excel in strength will protect us from the evil of this world. Jesus, their commander will give them charge to keep us in their watch care; He loves us with an everlasting love and will never leave or forsake us. He left His throne in heaven, walked among men, shed His blood on a hilltop and was buried in a grave.

The chains of death could not contain Him and He rose to life again; taking death captive and providing forgiveness for our sins.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

On the day the most historic event for the world took place my thoughts are captivated by the words of this song “I’m just a nobody trying to tell everybody about somebody who can save anybody”. My name is of no consequence, my economic status unimportant, my physical appearance doesn’t matter, and my gender or race is also of no consequence. What is most important is the story of redemption that occurred more than 2000 yrs ago when loves sacrifice broke the bonds of a world encased in darkness that light may enter.

His coming was fore told, yet; nobody recognized Him when He appeared. To many He was just a ordinary man who did extraordinary things. Some saw in Him an undeniable power, humility, gentleness and approachability uncommon in man. Love poured forth from every fiber of His being; unconditional, accepting, forgiving love. There where no nobodies to Him, everyone was somebody special in His eyes and He loved them all; even those who hated Him because they knew not who He was or from where He came.

His earthly sojourn was short, yet; He loved those considered unlovable, touched many with healing hands, He reclaimed and restored loved ones caught in the grip of death to their grieving families. He walked peacefully among men, but; many desired Him harm. I’m the nobody for which he gave all, His blood reached down through many generation to cleanse me of my sins, His love covered a multitude of my faults; brought light to my darkness and released me from the grip of death which was my penalty to pay. He renewed a right spirit within me and gave me a heart of flesh.

He rose in my heart like He rose from the grave early that 1st day of the week with all power over sin and death in His hands and granted me new life in Him. If you are drowning in the darkness of this world, remember there is “Somebody who can save anybody” and His blood was shed for you, a NOBODY.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

Bedtime was very important to Sarah’s children, they looked forward to the stories she told them before they closed their eyes to sleep. No matter what they were doing when the clock chimed 8 p.m. they hurried off to their bedroom to prepare for bed; putting on their pajamas, brushing their teeth and jumping into bed. Patiently they waited for her to enter the room with the big black book she told her stories from, although neither could read they recognized the bright white letters on the cover of the book; the Holy Bible and knew it had really good stories.

When their mom entered the room their excitement could be seen on their faces. How many of us have read a book that was so good we were left wanting more when the last chapter was read? Maybe it was a play or drama production that we hated to see the final curtain fall; indicating it was over, the end had come. Our world is on borrowed time, Mathew 24:37-39 states ” But as in the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be”. “For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

The final curtain came to our antediluvian fore parents and they all perished in the flood because they failed to heed the warnings. Do you think we are living in days similar to those of Noah’s days? How far from the laws of God have we fallen? In Mathew 24:4 Jesus tells us ” watch out that no one deceives you.” Mathew 24:24 says” For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible even the elect”; Mathew 24:12 “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of many will grow cold.” Mathew 24:25 “See I have told you ahead of time.”

We are told no one knows the day or hour of the Son of mans coming, ONLY the Father; in His word we are given many warnings that the final curtain will soon fall again on humanity. With each passing day we grow more and more complacent with the world we live in, it’s fallen state and the evil that is engulfing it. Time is ticking away, soon it will be to late; the warnings have been given, time to make a change. No more time to wait, choose now don’t hesitate; Jesus is truly coming back His people to reclaim. The final curtain is preparing to fall and time will be no more.

The trumpet will sound, the clouds will roll back as a scroll, and the Son of Man shall appear with the heavenly host, every eye will behold Him; those who are saved and those who are lost.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

There are times in life what we so desperately need seems to escape us, nothing works out for our good. We find ourselves in a holding pattern waiting on a resolution, we pray and pray, but; they just bounce off the ceiling; no answer in sight, so we wait. To wait is one of the hardest things for most of us to do, our spontaneous society leads us to desire immediate satisfaction and gratification of our desire upon request.

There are so many things in this life that require us to wait, some of them we never give a second thought; is what you’re waiting on worth the wait is the question I pose to you? It was raining, yet; the crowd anxiously waited on the arrival of the bus, he kept watching his watch it was apparent he was in a hurry, yet; the check out line was not moving, her appointment time had long past, it had been over an hour and she was still waiting to see the doctor.

Everyday we experience circumstance which require us to wait for one thing or another, some are so insignificant we respond as with robotic programming. There are times when waiting is mandatory, so I ask again, is what you’re waiting on worth the wait? Our faith is tested when waiting is required for it is by faith we receive what we have requested. “Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait on Him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes” Psalms 37:7

Isaiah 40:31 tells us “but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.” We are all; everyone of us in a holding pattern awaiting the promised return of our redeemed and savior Jesus the Christ, no one knows the day or hour of His return but we are admonished to be ready for it. What are you doing as you wait? Are you preparing for this great event?

Have you given your heart to the transforming love of Jesus? Have you yielded your will to the leading of the Holy Spirit and are you studying the word of God given for your instruction? Our wait may seem long, but; the time is very short. Jesus said ” behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be.” Jesus is coming back and He is worth the wait.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

In 1955 there was a show on television that surprised it’s guest with a preview of their lives. Can you imagine if people were brought forth from your past what they would say about you? Let’s not go backwards, but; what do you think people you interact with on a daily basis really think about you; what are they saying when you are not in the room? The theater was filled to its capacity, the lights went down and a hush fell over the audience; soft music began to play and the curtain slowly began to rise. I have no doubt we have all experienced this at one time or another in our lives.

Movies and stage performances are a poplar form of entertainment in our society, if a script of your life was written would it include intrigue, deception, ambition above all else, loveless relationships, fortune and fame; leading ultimately to a life ended in loneness. We all hope our lives will be filled with joy, peace, good health, loving family and friends, employment that we love and a quiet exit from life’s stage when the clock has chimed for the last time. Life is a mystery, the journey an adventure and the conclusion unknown.

It has it’s ups and downs, peaks and valleys, tears and joy, heartbreak and pain, however; after every storm the rainbow appears. The choices we make as we walk life’s path result in the consequences we must face whether positive or negative. We all have the opportunity to rewrite our script, to change the negatives into positives; to follow the ONLY example of unconditional love the world has ever known. When the final act is over and the curtain falls the love and memories created will linger in every heart we have touched along the way.

As we rest from the burdens of life the love left behind will be a guiding light to the greatest source of love, Jesus the Christ. This is your life, the opportunity is now; you have the choice to write the ending of our own story. What will be your choice, eternal life with Jesus or ashes upon the ground?

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

Breaking news interrupted the broadcast, 3 criminals have escaped and are considered armed and dangerous/ What is your first thought? Do you think this is something that you need to be concerned about? How can this affect you or your family? All these questions depend on where these criminals were being held and how close it is to your location, your amount of jeopardy hangs on the answer to just these two questions.

However, there is imminent danger that threatens us on a daily basis; it is unseen yet, it is ever present seeking to influence our thoughts and actions. It was just a joke he said, it was not meant to offend, but; the damage was done and brokenness occurred. His thoughtlessness opened the door, step 1 accomplished; this begins an all out assault on it’s victim, every possible means is utilized to draw his victim deeper into darkness.

Greed, fame, power, and pride just a few enticements dangled before his captive; hiding in the shadows he reveals himself only after he has drawn his prey completely into captivity. His greatest deception to mankind being, he didn’t exist; Rev12:12 records this warning” Rejoice then, you heavens and those who dwell in them/ But woe to the earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you with great wrath because he knows he has but a short time”.

He is the thief which comes to steal, kill, and destroy; he is armed and dangerous, a constant threat to all mankind. He and his followers are criminals banished to this earth, their hatred for the Creator is evident in their determination to destroy His beloved creation of which mankind is His crowning jewel. How can we stand against Satan’s onslaught? First we must join forces with the only one who can defeat this enemy, Jesus the Christ.

We must give Jesus total control of our lives, next we must arm ourselves for war with the sword of truth; the word of God. 2Timothy 2:15 states” study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. With Jesus as our captain we will be ready for war, we can resist the devil and he will flee; we will then be ARMED AND DANGEROUS.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

In our country we have no experience with kings ruling the people, we are governed by a leader chosen by the people, but; subject to the oversight of additional governing bodies, we call them president and congress. The rulership of a king is one of total dominance, the word of the king is law. When the king speaks his desires are fulfilled, wars are fought, punishment is given, and the people enjoy prosperity or heavy burdens. Most kings live in opulent palaces, eat the best foods, wear the best garments and are rich and powerful.

Their thrones were passed from one generation to the next, often the sons followed their fathers in rulership. unfortunately, there were exceptions to this rule; some kings obsessed with power would kill their own children to maintain rulership. Many kings were assassinated and their throne taken, some kings fortified their kingdoms through marriage or conquest of other kingdoms expanding their borders. Today there are still monarchies that rule, of these the Saudi government is considered the strongest monarchy in the world.

There is however a king of all kings; He wore no royal robes, no jeweled crown, lived in no opulent palace, lead no conquering armies, and was not enticed by power. He was covered in a garment of love, His feet walked the path of peace, and His voice was filled with compassion for all. No one was beyond His healing touch or forgiveness, all who came seeking Him were received by Him. Love permeated every fiber of His being, when He was lied on, He loved; when He was spit on, He loved; when He was unjustly put on trial, He loved.

When He was crucified, He loved and forgave His murderers. This is the example that has been given for us to emulate, to walk in the footprint of the King above all kings, the Lord of lords and love personified; to allow love to cover us as a fine garment, to walk the path of peace, and to speak with the voice of compassion to all. Soon this world as we know it will pass away, the everlasting kingdom of God will be established and only those who walk in the footprints of Jesus the king will enter there in. Harmony will reign throughout all creation.

Love is the thread that will bind us all together, all things will be made new; the former things will pass away never to be remembered; God will be with us and we shall be His people.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace

When I was a child there was a game we played called “follow the leader”, to start the game the leader was chosen by flipping a coin or by vote; whoever was the chosen leader dictated to the group and what the leader said was done by all participating in the game. Another such game was Simon said, whatever Simon said the group would do, but; if you moved without Simon saying you were out of the game.

I have no doubt many of you can remember these games and some may be more familiar than others. Unfortunately, life is not a child’s game and the leader we choose to follow is very important; from the beginning of time we have been faced with this decision “whom will you serve, will it be God or will it be man?” This is a question each one will have to answer for him or her self, there will be no by standers; we will be lead by the leader who rules the world of darkness or the leader of light and truth.

At one time there was harmony throughout the universe, but; pride caused one angelic being to desire to be more than his Creator, through his beauty and cunning he persuaded many others to join his cause. This action did not only lead to his banishment, but to all his followers too. The actions of the leaders will always affect the followers who trust in them. Mankind at it’s creation was given free will, the right to choose, that choice to determine the course he would take and who he would follow.

Mankind was deceived by this great fallen angel and disobeyed his Creator, he became prey for the evil one; losing the dominion given him by his Creator. Through this disobedience our world was tainted by the touch of evil. However, love would not stand idly by and allow mankind to be totally destroyed by the evil that was invading the earth. Love knew this enemy was to strong for man to fight on his own, only with help from one greater than this enemy could he be defeated.

Loves truth had to be revealed to remove the blinders from the eyes of man, only then would he see who he was following meant to cause his destruction. Love came to the rescue, a way was made for man to be reconciled back to his Creator should he choose to be rescued. A choice was required an man had to choose. It may appear hard to make a change or choose a new leader, but; all that is required is the desire to change; to be freed from darkness.

Once the choice is made to be free from darkness, love will cover you with light and truth, love then becoming your leader will lead you back to itself. It is time to stop playing games with our eternal life, choose wisely.

My revelation as I sit by the pool o f grace.