Grace Reloaded

"When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you? She answered, No one, Lord! And Jesus said, I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more." John 8:10-11 (Amplified)

Caught up in a trap, Jesus reponds in a way that cuts deeply into the hearts of the religious people and extends grace to a woman who thought that death was her impending destination.

The Pharisees were a clever sort, trying to get Jesus to buy into the Mosaic law that clearly stated that some one caught in adultery was to be stoned and put to death. But what these people didn't realize is that Jesus came to bring about a word they never thought was possible and apply it to the law... that word was grace. His unmerited favor was evident by His response to the crowd by telling them, "He who is without sin let him cast the first stone." In essence, whoever among you is free of sin then let him be the first to hurl a stone at her.

Jesus was showing them that grace is available to all not just this woman but to the ones with stones in their hands. His only condition is to go on and sin no more. Only one person that day recieved the true application of grace though it was extended to all. Simply put, there is no one that can exceed the reach of grace, so just put down your stone and come to hear Jesus say to you, "Go and sin no more."

Power

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." 2 Tim 1:7 (NLT)

     I was going through my journal written in 2006 where I was detailing my experiences in Colombia when I went to war. What I noticed immediately was how fearful I was at the beginning. (Its funny but I guess I suppressed those feelings becuase I never remembered being fearful) However, each time I felt that fear rise up within I prayed and God turned that fear into determination (power).

    I was conditioned to translate that fear into power because that spirit of fear was not from God, and the spirit of power WAS from Him. This served as a key life lesson for me at a critical point in my life. It served as a catalyst in helping me reach for higher heights and do something I never thought was possible. Isn't that like God? To give us responsibilities that we never thought we could achieve so much so that we are fearful of even trying it and just when we feel like we can't His power says we CAN! Awesome!

Generosity

“Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.”- Psalm 112:5

Having a generous heart will take you a long way as generosity opens doors that stinginess cannot even touch. If you were in search of an example of generosity look at Jesus. He spent His entire ministry giving without any expectation of return. On two occasions He fed thousands who were following Him using nothing but loaves and fishes. And what about the healings? He passed on that gift to many who were sick and tired of being sick and tired.

The thing about generosity is that it is reciprocal. Good comes to those who are generous. Jesus gave to others and it was returned to Him with souls believing He was truly the son of God. The widow who gave her last batch of oil to the prophet Elijah never realized she'd have lack again in her life but it happened. What is God calling you to be generous with? Your time? Your talent? Your devotion? Some people think that generosity has a financial collar to it. Not always, as you can be generous with a myriad of other things. Find out what God is asking you to be generous with and see your life overflow with good as it flourishes in your life.

Chosen

"And having chosen them he called them to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory." Romans 8:30 (NLT)

      What an amazing scripture! One that settles for us our identity in Christ. If you sat down and really tried to let these words sink in it would tell you the steps God took to elevate you to the level He created us to live in.

        First, He chose us. He could have chosen another species, or created another race of man that would live up to the standards He set from the beginning. Instead He CHOSE to stick with us. Secondly, He gave us right standing with Him. Sin eliminated any chance we had at having right standing with Him, so Christ's death ensured that chance was once again available to all of us. Lastly, He gave us HIS GLORY. If that isn't a cause for you to appreciate how much you are loved by Him I don't know what else is.

        Living below your means is a statement I assign those who don't understand that they have the glory of God in their lives. Living within your means is the understanding that you truly know you have the glory of God within, and your life is a reflection of that. Don't live life below your means, but within your means. Having a full understanding that you are CHOSEN.

Move

"Back at Horeb, God, Our God, spoke to us. "You've stayed long enough at this mountain. On your way now. Get moving." Deuteronomy 1:6-7a (MSG)

      There are times in our lives where all we do is circle the same mountain. Circling the same problem, circumstance, and situation. Trying our level best to overcome it on our own, and once we feel like we've gotten a handle of the situation, we get used to it and develop a comfort for our surroundings. It gets to the point where it almost seems impractical to strive for something more. Then God comes to us and says to us...Move.

        I think what most of us fail to realize is that God is not as interested in our comfort as He is in us pursuing the greater things available. Sometimes going after the greater things He's promised and destined for us require for us to grow out of comfort with our present circumstance and move into the unknown.

         In this passage the people of Israel faced a practical choice. Go after the promise of a better hope and future God intended for them, or remain in their comfort zone. It is a very similar choice we face day to day. Do we linger in the present comfort of our circumstance because "it's easier," or do we move? I know what God wants us to do, but do you?

Just Call

"Call on me in prayer and I will answer you. I will show you great and mysterious things you still do not know about." Jeremiah 33:3 (NLT)

      God's desire to have communication with us runs deep. He created Adam so that He could commune daily with us. He took long strolls with Adam in the garden and they had established such a deep connection that when that connection was severed, Adam felt it immediately and hid in shame. This severed connection broke God's heart and caused Him to do something He did not want to do (ban them from His presence).

       Fast forward hundreds of years and you have God trying once again to show His people His desire to connect. He says that if we call upon Him not only will we receive the answer to our prayers, but we will also be revealed mysteries that we have no grasp to understand with our own human reasoning. The reason this is significant is because in any relationship anytime you get into secrets that's the point where the relationship has reached a deep and intimate level and trust has been established. In other words, God wants to be so intimate with us that He's willing to tell us His mysteries. Wow!

       So what's holding us back? If you're not spending meaningful time alone with God daily you are missing out on what could potentially be a significant answer to an impossible scenario. You could be robbing yourself of the communication and connection with God you were meant to have from the beginning of time. Don't do that, just call on Him. He will reveal to you His greatness through His answers.

Why shall I fear?

"The Lord is my light and salvation whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the refuge and stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1 (AMP)

       I was thinking about Jesus' journey to the cross the other day and I stumbled upon the story of the transfiguration where Moses and Elijah appeared to Jesus. As the story is told in Luke Ch. 9 they are talking about Jesus' upcoming death on the cross and suddenly Peter interferes and ruins the atmosphere of the entire conversation.

      I imagine how Jesus must have felt during this time and how hard a pill it was for him to swallow knowing that very soon he was to face the cross. But then God does something that was perfect for Jesus and the time. He announced once again, "This is my beloved son, hear him..." (Luke 9:33) I say once again because the same word was given to Jesus after his baptism.

       God does this to sustain Jesus, knowing that Jesus is perhaps a bit down at the prospect of what He's about to face. God comes and gives Jesus the word that He is beloved by the Father. Wow. Like Jesus we too face difficulties (though not on the same scale), but what have we to fear if God is our light and salvation? What is God's word over your life? Ephesians 3:20, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Psalm 23:1 are great places to set out hope on. Live satisfied by His word and you'll be equipped to overcome anything.