G-R-A-C-E

The topic for our women’s Bible study this year is Women Walking in Grace. This week the speaker used an acronym for GRACE in the lesson. She encouraged us to come up with our own. I hadn’t really planned on doing this, but early this morning (when I hoped I’d be sleeping), I was thinking about God’s grace. God is always gracious, His grace is always available, but I don’t always experience it to the fullest. If I am to revel in God’s grace, I need to keep some truths about God forefront in my thinking.

I must remember that God is:

Good.

When I don’t like the circumstances I am facing I can be tempted to forget that God is good, and knows what is good for me far better than I do myself.

Psalm 31:19 How great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast stored up for those who fear Thee, which Thou hast wrought for those who take refuge in Thee before the sons of men!
Psalm 107:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 119:68a Thou art good and doest good
Psalm 145:9 The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works.
Romans 8:28 And we know that God cause all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose

I must always remember that God is good. I may not see the good He’s doing in a particular situation at the time, but I can trust Him. When I do, I am strengthened by His grace.

Righteous

I must never view God through my circumstances or my perceptions, evaluating His character by my take on a particular situation. He is always righteous, totally and perfectly.

Psalm 71:19 For Thy righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens, Thou who hast done great things; O God, who is like Thee?
Psalm 119:137 Righteous art Thou, O Lord, and upright are Thy judgments.
Psalm 119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is truth.
Psalm 145:17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all His deeds.
Daniel 9:14 ..For the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done…

No matter how I may view any situation, I can be sure of God’s righteousness. When I do, I am refreshed by His grace.

Awesome

Although this word is used so often today, it has almost lost its meaning, only God is truly awesome. When I read His Word, I see His mighty power, His splendor, His majesty, His greatness. Yet sometimes I forget that His awesome might is just as true in my life as it is in the pages of Scripture. Nothing I face is too difficult for Him!

Exodus 15:11 Who is like Thee among the gods, O Lord? Who is like Thee, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?
Psalm 65:5 By awesome deeds Thou does answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation, Thou who are the trust of all the ends of the earth, and of the farthest seas
Psalm 66:5 Come and see the works of God, who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men.
Psalm 145:6 And men shall speak of the power of Thine awesome acts; and I will tell of Thy greatness.
Jeremiah 32:17 Ah Lord God! Behold, Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy great power and by Thine outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for Thee

When my heart if focused on the awesome power of God, any problems I have seem minuscule in comparison, and I am encouraged by God’s grace.

Caring

It is overwhelming to think that the God of the universe, creator of heaven and earth, cares about me! I can never get too discouraged if my heart is set on this truth.

Psalm 8:3-4 When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou dost take thought of him? And the son of man, that Thou dost care for him?
Matthew 10 28 Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
1 Peter 5:7 casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.
1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father has given unto us, that we should be called the sons of God

When I remember how much God cares for me, I am comforted by His grace.

Enough

Sometimes I act like a relationship with God is not enough. I want some experience or emotion. I want a quick fix to my problem. I want some human or earthly pleasure. I must remind myself that contentment and satisfaction can be found in Him, and in Him alone.

Psalm 23:1,5-6 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 62:5-6 My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man, and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.
2 Corinthians 12:9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ
Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
2 Peter 2:3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence

I must never forget that God is enough. He has given me every spiritual blessing, everything pertaining to life and godliness. Only in Him can I find satisfaction. His grace is sufficient for me.

If I am to enjoy the fullness of God’s grace, I must continually remember these truths.

God is:
Good
Righteous
Awesome
Caring
Enough

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen (Jude 24-25)

Father Knows Bests

Sometmes I get very confused. I actually think and act like there is something better than following the Lord's commands--my way. This week I was again reminded on several fronts that my heavenly father truly knows best, and wants only the best for me.

During the Heart of the Home class this week, John MacArthur spoke from Ephesians 5:18-21, pointing out the key to harmony in the home(or in any relationship) is living a spirit-filled life, following the will of the Lord. To do this we must practice selflessness. It was a good reminder that my relationships are not all about me. When that is my focus, it only breeds discontent and disharmony. But when I focus on pleasing the Lord, and let His Word richly dwell within me, then I experience joy, thankfulness, and a desire to serve others.

The next day I read Psalm 81, which expresses God's desire to fulfill His people, and Israel's continued disobedience and disinterest. God offers so much:
v. 10 Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.
v. 13 Oh that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!
v. 13 I would quickly subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries.
v.16 But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat; and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.
Yet the people did not listen and did not obey, but acted stubbornly to walk in their own devices (v. 111-12). I wonder how many times I forfeit God's richest blessings because I am pursuing my own way instead of following Him.

Later I read Nehemiah 9, a song of praise which reviews Israel's history, with Israel repeatedly rebelling against God, and God repeatedly showing Himself to be faithful and compassionate. In verse 13 it says, "Thou didst give to them just ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments." How important it is to remind myself that God's ordinances are just, His laws are true, His statutes and commandments are good. Nothing is better for me than obeying God, and when I think anything less I am being extremely foolish. Truly, my heavenly Father Knows Best!

Exalting God and His Word

Over the last few days I have spent time in probably my favorite chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119. I have gone over it time after time over the last several years, and always feel I just get a taste of the treasure it contains. It always encourages me to value the Word of God. It feeds my desire to have a heart totally devoted to God, like the psalmist expresses so often.

In this psalm, exalting God and His Word are continually linked. Verse 38 says, Establish Thy word to Thy servant, as that which produces reverence for Thee. We turn to God's Word not just to learn facts, grow in knowledge, or understand principles for living, but so we can more deeply know and revere God. This idea removes any idea of duty from time in the Word, and makes it pure joy. The God of the Universe has revealed Himself to us, and desires that we know Him. How awesome is that!

What blessings are ours as we treasure God's Word:
v.11 Thy word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee.
v.50 This is my comfort in my affliction, That Thy word has revived me.
v.98-99 Thy commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine. I have more insight than all my teachers, for Thy testimonies are my meditation.
v. 105 Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.
v.130 The unfolding of Thy words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
v.165 Those who love Thy law have geat peace, and nothing causes them to stumble.

So, if you've never done so, (or even if you have!) I'd encourage you to spend some time in Psalm 119. Wade in to a river of riches and let your heart be revived.

Quality Quiet Time

On Tuesday night I went to my first women's ministry event at Grace Chruch, called a Ttus Two Tuesday. The topic for the evening was a Quality Quiet Time. It was a great evening--although I can't say I learned anything particularly new or earth shattering. It did provide a great opportunity to review and re-evaluate my own practices.

At the Titus Two the teacher shared several verses. The one that stood out to me was Psalm 63:1: O God, Thou art my God, I shall seek Thee earnestly; My soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh yearns for Thee, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (For more on this Psalm, see 8/2 post) If I approach my quiet time with this intensity and sincerity of heart, my quiet time will definitely be a quality quiet time.

The speaker shared seven suggestions to include in a quiet time:
1)Make it regular--consistency is key
2)Have a special time--she gets up early every morning
3)Have a special place (although another woman shared an idea to make a quiet time basket with everything you'd need in it that you can take wherever you want to have a quiet time)
4)Include prayer. She recommended ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication). She shared how she has her prayer notebook arranged.
5)Read God's Word. She recommended a reading schedule. (I later was able to share how I have been reading the same section of Scripture every day for a month and then meeting once a month with other women who were reading the same passage and share what God had taught us. I will greatly miss those breakfasts!) We were also encouraged to keep God's Word continually before us. Have verses in key places around the house, keep one in your car to review, etc.
6)Keep a journal. Meditate on God's Word and then write out a response to it.
7)Sing.

Since Tuesday I have been pondering my own practice and have made some changes. Yesterday I began to review Psalm 119, probably my favorite chapter in the Bible. I plan to incorporate some of the prayers of the psalmist to pray for myself and others in regard to my quiet time, heart, and spritual life. For example, v. 18: Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Thy law. I also reorganized my prayer notebook, and I think that will better facilitate my prayer time.

So I am motivated and organized, but to have a quality quiet time I need to approach my time with God each and every day with humilty and devotion. A quality quiet time is achievable. God promises that as I draw near to Him, He will draw near to me (James 4:8). What matters to God is not my technique or method, but my heart. That is what I need to remember.

Remember What?

When I was young, I prided myself on my excellent memory. That certainly helped me to shine in the classroom all throughout my school days. Now, however, it is a different story. I remember less and less and forget more and more.

I have been studying the book of Nehemiah, and was challenged by Nehemiah's exhortation to remember the Lord in 4:14 (see post of 8/10), so I thought I'd go through the rest of the book and focus on what else it said about remembering. I was surprised with what I found. Although remember is used 9 times in the book of Nehemiah, there were no other exhortations to remember. There was one similar reference, looking at the opposite perspective, what happens when we don't remember. Chapter 9 includes a song of praise to the Lord that recounts the history of Israel. In verse 17, it says the people did not remember Thy wondrous deeds which Thou hadst performed among them. Because they did not remember the Lord who is great and awesome, they became stubborn and sought to go their own way instead of follow the Lord. When I don't remember God I do the same thing.

The other 7 references were what surprised me--they were all asking God to remember. Four references asked God to remember me for good, (5:19;13:14,22,31). Two requested that God remember for judgment those who had been enemies of God's work, or disobedient to His commands (6:14, 13:29). The most surprising of all was in 1:8, where Nehemiah asked God to remember His own word. Unlike me, who needs constant reminders (what would I do without post-its?), God is perfect. He knows everything, forgets nothing. His wisdom and knowledge are a depth of riches, His judgements unsearchable, His ways unfathomable (Romans 11:33). Why does Nehemiah ask Him to remember? Should I do the same?

I don't think Nehemiah questions whether God will remember these things. He knows God will keep His word. He knows God will reward the righteous and judge the wicked. In his study notes on 1:8, John MacArthur says it's not a reminder to God as if He had forgotten, but a plea to activate His Word. I have been challenged lately on a number of fronts to pray that God will be God in various ways, that His Word will prove true. It's not that I doubt any of it. In fact, for me I often don't pray about things like this because I know God will be God and keep His word. But when I do pray, it expresses my trust in God, my confidence in Him, and my dependence on Him. It pleases God when I express my faith in prayer. It helps align my heart with His.

We get a small glimpse of this in human relationships, although any illustration characterizing God comes woefully short. Think about a husband and wife relationship. I know my husband knows I love him. I have confidence in his leadership. I am thankful for his faithfulness to me. But when I express that to him, he is encouraged and it helps me to focus on his positive attributes and be thankful for him. On an infinitely grander scale, when I ask God to remember, I am demonstrating my love for Him, my confidence in Him, and my desire for His will to be accomplished. When I ask God to be God it helps me to focus on who He is, and to remember Him.

I am thankful that God does keep His word, that He always acts consistent with His character. My memory is fading, but His is eternal. I have been challenged to express that to Him in prayer, and I hope you have too.

Grace Upon Grace

I love the beach. I am not a sun-bather. I do not surf, sail, or scuba dive. I do love to watch the waves and reflect upon how awesome God is. Psalm 19:1 says, The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Just as the heavens declare God's glory, so do the seas. His tremendous power is evident, as is His beauty. Looking at the variety of sea life gives us a glimpse into God's awesome creativity and wisdom. Watching the waves break over and over and over again reminds me of John 1:16, For of His fulness we have all received, and grace upon grace. God's grace is like that in our lives, steady and continual; we experiece His goodness over and over again.

Last week Bruce and I had the opportunity to go to Monterey, along the coast in Northern California. (Thank you, Believers Fellowship) We enjoyed beautiful scenery, like in this picture. In this midst of all this overwhelming abundance of God's majesty and grace, I had a major struggle with my own selfishness. Instead of standing amazed at who God is, I was focused on myself, and what I wanted, my plans and my desires. But God is faithful, He showed me my sin, and again provided forgiveness (1 John 1:9). Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more (Romans 5:20). I am so thankful for God's grace--grace greater than all my sins, grace that sustains me through the struggles of life, great and small.

Shortly after we got back home, we went to a chapel at The Master's College, which was somewhat of a memorial service for Bethany Rehrer. Her brother Matthew spoke, as did her boyfriend Bjorn, and a long-time friend Megan. Their lives and their response to this tragedy was another overwhelming evidence of God's grace. Their testimony has been an example to me and to many, and God has used these events for His glory and the good of many.

So the next time you go to the beach, or see a beautiful sunset, or a starry night, or examine a flower or butterfly, or have a chance to witness the awesomeness of God's creation in any aspect, reflect upon His abundant grace. Take the focus off of yourself and place it upon the Lord, and you too will be encouraged and strengthened.