Seasons of Purpose

 

 

 

    

Eccl 3:1

 

To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:

 

NKJV

 

Tonight we had the wedding rehearsal of my nephew.  He is the closest in age to my oldest son.  This is a milestone of a new season in their lives.  A change for them and for us, the older generation.  It foretells of new changes yet to come in our family.

Change can be beautiful and frightening all at once.  So many of the seasons that the Lord brings us to, are full of the unknown.  But there, in the middle of uncertainty, there lies so many blessings.  I am thankful that He goes before us in every stage of life and walks us through all of the phases that we encounter.

To everything there is both a season and a purpose.  When an expectant mother is going through the delivery process, the transition phase is definitely the most intense and painful.  Life can be like that too.  But just beyond the pain is the most beautiful blessing. A result that makes it all worth the while!  Seasons and purposes go hand-in-hand.

Are you coming into new seasons in your life?  Do not be afraid.  There is a purpose in the change.  A God-ordained purpose that will definitely work for your good!

Dear Lord, thank you for directing our lives and appointing our seasons.  Lord, we look to you and ask that you reveal your purpose to us.  Grant us the strength to go through change with grace.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

Congratulations Brett and Danielle!  God goes before you, and your future is full of His potential and purpose!

 

 

The Heritage

 

    

Isa 58:13-14

 

14 Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord ;

And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,

And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.

The mouth of the Lord  has spoken."

NKJV

 

 

Today's verse is a Word of affirmation, promise and blessing. But it is a benediction spoken over people who were willing to consecrate themselves for a holy fast, to do justly, and to relieve the affliction of the needy.  People who humbled themselves to call out to God, to seek His face and to follow His will.  These were the ones given the promise.

 

So many times people, even Christians, go through the spiritual motions.  We crack open our Bibles and scan the words as our minds plan our day.  We bow to pray, but instead, think about what we need to do on the job.  We fast lunch, while sharing gossip with a co-worker.  What good do we receive from half-hearted spiritual disciplines? 

 

God understands that we are weak humans.  He knows that we struggle.  But if we truly want to receive from Him, we have to be willing to really incline our hearts to seek Him. If we have to get a little desperate, dig a little deeper...then He will turn His face to us and pour out a blessing.

 

This verse talks about the promise of blessing- riding on the high place.  It speaks about eating from Jacob's heritage.  And it is confirmed with the solemn oath, "...the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

 

When God makes a promise, it is as good as money in the bank.  He will, without a doubt, perform what He says He will do.  I need the Lord to help me ride on the high places.  I need to enjoy the heritage that He has prepared for me.  His blessings in my life are so abundant.  But what if I really went after Him consistently, with my whole heart?  I can only imagine all the glory that He would reveal in any person who truly sets their heart to follow hard after Him.

 

 

  Dear God, forgive me of the times that I am just going through the Christian motions.  Help me to live in obedience, authentically and passionately.  Allow me to walk in the blessings and inheritance You have provided for me.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

 

 

Wonderful Craftsmanship

Ps 139:14

 

14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;* 

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

NKJV

 

Craftsmanship is very important.  No one wants to buy an item that has been made cheaply or shoddily.  That is (theoretically) why we pay more for designer brands, because they offer the promise of greater quality.

 

I am a female.  As such, I have spent a good portion of my life comparing myself to others...


For the remainder of this blog, please meet me at http://lacedwithgrace.com/ where I am visiting for the day.  Or you can click on the butterfly link for "Laced with Grace" on the right hand side of the margin.

Redemptive Suffering

 

    

1 Peter 4:1-2

 

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us* in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

NKJV

 

When I say the word "suffering" what is your first response?  Joy?  Rapturous delight?  Or most probably, dread and a desire to avoid it?  We humans are adverse to suffering and will go to great lengths to avoid it.  One of my sons had a real hatred for needles.   When he went to get his five-year-old school vaccinations, it took three people to hold him and one to administer the shot.  Don't get me wrong.  He is a very obedient son.  His aversion to needles was just more powerful!

Christ suffered the ultimate agony in His flesh.  For my sins- and yours, too.  He did all of that because He looked beyond His pain and saw a greater good.  He saw the salvation of our souls and our reconciliation to God.  Because the cause was so great, He was willing to suffer a proportionately great pain to birth it. 

We are to "arm ourselves with the same mind".  We have to recognize that any sacrifices we make to sow in the Spirit will be worth an eternal reward that is infinitely more valuable than the cost of our present suffering.  Want to demonstrate Christ's love, patience and kindness?  Then there will be suffering in the flesh- times you do not get your way; times that you want to scream bloody-murder and yet you hold your peace.  That is the type of suffering we are called to.  Christ paid the price for our salvation.  We do not need to add to it.  His sacrifice was sufficient.  Our suffering has to do with crucifying our sinful flesh and letting the nature of God come forth.

Many of our life's goals- weight loss, debt reduction, acquiring savings, all of these things are only birthed through suffering and self-denial.  Marathon runners become conditioned through sacrifice and suffering.  Anything in life worth having, must be worth a reasonable amount of sacrifice.

If we are going to live for the will of God and not for our sinful lusts, we will have to arm ourselves with this attitude on a daily basis.  As the Apostle Paul modeled for us the attitude of: "I die daily," we must, too, put aside our selfish ways each day and take up the cross of Christ.

Dear Lord, help me to follow in Your steps and be willing to do the hard stuff to reach  the goals you have set for my life.

In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

Kind Savior

 

    

Titus 3:4

 

But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

KJV

 

The kindness and love of God appeared to us in human form.   He put on flesh, he clothed himself with humanity and He walked among us.  He obeyed his parents, and He learned about the Bible.  He was baptized by John and befriended 12 ruffians, who later became His disciples.  He walked with them, He shared His heart, His thoughts and His mind with them.  He performed miracles and taught them with great care. Then He submitted to a cruel cross.

Kindness as a "He" and not an "it" is a deep truth to ponder.  But it is important that we understand Jesus' character and motivation.  He is constantly getting a "bad rap" from the world.  As Christians, we must understand and proclaim the truth about His love and kindness.

 

Works of service is my love language.  I feel most loved when someone in my family or group of friends does something that helps me.  I feel more cherished by someone washing pots than I do by receiving flowers.  Service takes personal sacrifice of desires and attention.  Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice.  He left the glory of heaven, perfect communion with the Father, and He came to die for us.  All because of love.  And kindness.

Kindness is a fruit of the spirit that should be demonstrated in the life of every believer.  A hateful Christian should not exist.  As our Great Example Jesus showed how kindness of thought translates into kindness of action, we must live likewise.  Are your actions showing kindness to those you come into contact with?  Would people describe you as a kind person?  If not, ask Kindness to come in and manifest Himself in your life.

 

Dear Lord, help me to walk in kindness toward others.  Help me to believe the best of other people and show your loving kindness to all you bring into my path.

In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

Patient in the Promise

 

              

    

James 5:7-8

 

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

NKJV

 

I am concerned about our country.  It bothers me that everything is so chaotic and uncertain.  I have issues with some decisions that are being made.  Because of that, I find myself thinking more and more about the coming of the Lord.  Not because I see America as the center of the world, but because all of the signs of the End Times have been fulfilled, and lately I see lots of exclamation points behind that truth.

A farmer patietly waits for the harvest because he understands the nature of things.  He knows the expected outcome and understands the seasons of maturation required for abundant harvest.  We can trust that or Master Farmer is keenly aware of what is needed to bring about the results that He intends.

Regardless of the personal, national or  spiritual trials that we face, we know that we serve a God who has everything under control.  He knows where we are headed and He has made provision for us, His children. In the trials and in the darkness, we have to hold on with patience.  We cannot be moved.  Our eyes have to be fixed on the horizon, looking for the coming of Christ to collect His children unto Himself.  But until that day, we must "establish our hearts."

Establishing our heart can mean so many things, but to me it speaks of being steadfast and immovable in our faith and in our courage.  We cannot be tossed by the fears, trends and changes that come.  Rather, we must hold to our assurance that "All is well."  Because in Jesus' eternal timeline, it certainly is!

Dear Lord, I intercede on behalf of our country and our world.  Dear God, deal with hearts, illuminate truth, intervene on behalf of Your children.  You,  Lord are our help and our defense!  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

 

Finding Favor

 

 

    

Prov 11:27

 

He who earnestly seeks good finds favor,

But trouble will come to him who seeks evil.

NKJV

 

Do you need the favor of God in your life?  In your career?  In your finances?  I depend upon the favor of God.  I am always  so grateful when the Lord causes me to find favor and someone hands me a coupon for something I am about to buy or if He causes me to find favor with my auditors on my job.  There is nothing that we can do to self-promote that will be as effective as the favor of God.  His favor exceeds anything we can do because it is divine and is not based in selfishness.

We can, and should, seek to do good and be good.  But at the end of the day, any good we do, it is a gift from God.   He alone grants us the wisdom, peace and  direction to overcome our sin nature.  But this verse indicates that if we are earnestly seeking good, that will lead to us finding favor.  Whenever you choose the more excellent way in a situation, you are setting yourself up to find favor.  Whether the person we are being good to, has the capacity to enrich us or not, if our heart is just to do good, that is something the Lord can bless.  Our words and actions must be rooted in good intentions. Then the rest if up to the Lord.

Those who are bent on stirring up dissension or having a fight, you can guarantee, they will come to evil.  You can not be a brawler or a cheater and not suffer from the fruit of it in the end.  Anyone who constantly sews to feed the flesh- over-eating, over-spending; giving everyone a piece of your mind, will eventually suffer the consequences for being out of balance.

Seeking constantly to get favor in a situation or with a person, amounts to little more than manipulation.  But if you just set your heart to be a change-agent for good everywhere you go, I am convinced the favor and blessings of God will overtake you.

Dear Lord, help me to be a source of goodness in all of my relationships and in all my pursuits.  Convict me of the areas I need to change.  Help me to walk in Your divine favor.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.