Tag: God

The Grace Card

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The Grace Card releases today (August 16) on DVD.  I have wanted to see this movie since it came out in theaters.  Friends had told me it was very good.  Last night I watched it with great expectations.   In a powerful way, the film dealt with sin on many levels such as race, pride, and anger. But in contrast, the film showed the prevailing love of God through grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

The message of grace flows throughout this movie.  It is a beautiful picture of the ultimate grace that was given to mankind.  “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God,” Ephesians 2:8.

The movie is rated PG 13 for violence. Parents will need to use discretion in allowing younger children to watch the movie.  However, it can be used as a great teaching tool for older children in that it shows the reality of this sin laden world and consequences that follow. 

*I am giving away a DVD of The Grace Card to one of my readers on Monday, August 22nd.  To enter, just leave a comment on this blog about what God’s grace means to you and I will draw one winner.

  Movie Synopsis:

 Everything can change in an instant … and take a lifetime to unravel.

When Mac McDonald loses his son in an accident, the ensuing 17 years of bitterness and pain erodes his love for his family and leaves him angry with God … and just about everyone else.

Mac’s rage stonewalls his career in the police department and makes for a combustible situation when he’s partnered with Sam Wright, a rising star on the force who happens to be a part-time pastor and a loving family man.

Mac’s home life is as frightening as anything he encounters on the streets of Memphis. Money is tight and emotions run high as he constantly argues with his wife and his surviving son Blake, who is hanging with the wrong crowd and in danger of flunking out of school.

Sam Wright also never expected to be a police officer. He has a calling—to be a minister like his Grandpa George. But leading a small, start-up church doesn’t always put enough food on the table for a young family, so Sam doubles as a police officer. With his new promotion to Sergeant, Sam starts questioning if his real calling might actually be police work rather than the pastorate.

Can Mac and Sam somehow join forces to help one another when it’s impossible for either of them to look past their differences—especially the most obvious one?

Every day, we have the opportunity to rebuild relationships and heal deep wounds by extending and receiving God’s grace. Offer THE GRACE CARD … and never underestimate the power of God’s love

 

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you,” Ephesians 4:32.

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15.

Self-Esteem (Or is it Esteeming SELF)

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The other day I was listening to the radio when the most beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace came on.  It was sung by a choir of children.  As their angelic voices rang, I paused from cleaning the kitchen.  I listened to them sing, “Amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a child like me…”  Being that I have heard this song sung my entire life, this stood out because the original version of the song says, “that saved a wretch like me.”  As I asked myself why they changed the words, I already knew the answer.  We cannot have children calling themselves wretches; it might hurt their self-esteem. 

In an effort to build up children, some people have stopped keeping score during sports activities.  The reasoning is that if one team loses they will develop poor self-esteem.  Giving every child a trophy at the end of a sport’s season is along the same line of thinking.  I have heard of teachers who do not give F’s anymore to students.  They instead give U’s for unsatisfactory or I’s for incomplete.  We don’t want a child to know they failed.  When we placate to an already self-centered nature that is ingrained in all children, we foster in them a deeper selfish attitude.

There is a lot of talk in even Christian circles about self-esteem.  For example, Christian’s are terrified to point out sin in a brother’s life.  Even though the Bible clearly says that we are to admonish one another.  The justification for this is that we might hurt their feelings.  We might make them feel bad.  We might crush their self image.  But consider for a moment exactly what we are saying when our only concern is “self-esteem”.  We are saying that we should esteem self.  We must build people up in that we don’t damage their ego.   However, when we build up ego, we essentially Edge God Out.  In all of our concern with self has anyone stopped to consider how God feels in it all?

Can I suggest that this is the problem with our society?  We are too concerned with “self”.  For the last few generations people have not been taught correctly from the Word of God about the condition they are in prior to God’s grace.  In an attempt to build up self we have become blind to the truths of Scripture about the state of mankind.  “Well, we’re all just sinners”, many will say placing themselves in the same category as the rest of the world.  But let me submit that it was not until I stopped looking at everyone else, focused upon my own life, and fully came to grasp with what a wretch I was, that I could I fully understand God’s amazing grace.  Until I saw myself as filthy and undone could I accept the righteousness of Christ.  Until I truly saw myself as lost and without hope could I become saved with complete assurance.  Until I could cry out like the publican, “God be merciful to me a (the only one) sinner” or until I could say like Paul that I am the chiefest of all sinners did I truly understand my position before God.  Until I repented and turned from my sins could I be made right.  Until I realized that I was sick in sin could I be healed.  “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance,” Mark 2:17.

 My children are precious and as a parent I naturally want to build up their self-esteem.  But a building of self, while soothing to our sinful nature, is to their eternal detriment.  The best gift I can give them is to show them how they stand before a Holy and Just God.  It is when a child understands this and accepts God’s salvation then they have true worth, God’s grace is truly amazing, and their esteem is in Him alone!  “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man,” Psalm 118:8.

UNSTUFF -A Book Review

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I just finished reading UNSTUFF – Making Room In Your Life for What Really Matters by Michael and Hayley DiMarco.  This book really surprised me.  I was not expecting to be challenged to this extent. 

I am not a fan of “self-help” books because we should not look within ourselves for help.  True help comes from the Lord and it is to Him that we should cling.  So honestly, when I first received this book I thought it would be just another shallow self-help book.  I have to admit that I was wrong.  The premise of this book is that everything in the universe falls into one of two categories – God and stuff. 

The DiMarco’s confront their love for stuff and take a journey to Unstuff their lives.  They spend three month driving across the country in a motor home visiting homeless shelters.  They share their story, their failures, their success, and the changes they made to simplify their lives so they could live more fully for God and for others.  They share reasons to Unstuff and challenge those who have ears to hear the truths behind Unstuff.  I believe their dedication sums it up:  “To the One who created all and knows our hearts.  May we worship You and not your creation (or the creation’s creations).”

Our society is built around commercialism.  We love our stuff.  We want more stuff, bigger stuff, and newer stuff. We want the stuff our neighbors and co-workers have.  And the truth is that we are so blinded by the idea that we deserve stuff that the tenth commandment seems irrelevant.  Unstuff takes a look at not just things that money can buy but also the stuff we put into our minds, stuff we put into our bodies, relationship stuff, worship stuff, and future stuff.  The reading is simplistic but the ideas are deep.  Do not pick up this book unless you want to be challenged.  The only strike from this reviewer would be the Bible translation used.  I prefer to use the KJV and it is somewhat inconvenient to stop to look up Scripture each time.  However, most will overlook this issue.   Thank you Tyndale House Publishers for the book in exchange for an honest product review.  It was enjoyable.

Contentment, Godliness, and Great Gain

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 Last night I was sitting in a revival service listening to the evangelist preach from 1 Corinthians about the unrighteous who will not inherit the kingdom of God. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (1Co 6:9-10) As he is going through this list in my heart I am thinking about all the wickedness in our land.

Fornicators – This has become widely accepted even among Christian people today. How do I know this? Because it is flaunted around in the churches; there is no shame anymore. No one bothers to teach against fornication and its consequences. We sweep it under the rug and think that God does not see or care. But Scripture warns; be not deceived.

Idolaters – How easy it is to think in our mind that we are not idolaters. After all, we have never carved a graven image and bowed down to it. But, an idolater is one who puts ANYTHING above God. It can be the god of humanism. This god is based in evolution. It is what our American children are daily indoctrinated in. We see the fruit of this when people slaughter their unborn babies on the altar of convenience. It can be the god of riches. This happens all the time when people bow down to their job and place it above God. We see the effects of this god when parents neglect their church, the home, and their children in a pursuit of wealth. It can be the god of entertainment. How many families miss church due to sports or hunting? How many people place the TV above their prayer time? How many people care more about what Hollywood thinks than what the preacher says from the Word of God? One of the biggest forms of idolatry is when people make up a god in their own mind. They might claim they are serving the God of the Bible but the god they have created in their mind is nothing like the True Jehovah God of Scripture.

Adulterers – I’m always amazed at how many parents openly accept those who are committing adultery into their home to influence their children. It is done every week in Christian homes via the television and internet. Think about this honestly. As believers in Christ we might say how wrong adultery is to our children. But, if we let them watch movies or TV shows that make light of this sin, then we are justifying it to our children. What we are saying by our actions is that adultery is not really that big of deal.

Homosexuals – This is big in today’s society. We are told to accept this “lifestyle”, our children our indoctrinated in it via the government schools, and it is forced upon us in every avenue of society. Why? It is because the children of God will not take a stand. They will not speak out against it. They continue to watch the programs that have them in it. They continue to vote for politicians who are for it. They continue to buy products from companies that support it. They continue to go to places like Disney World who parade it around. And it is all because we love other things more than we love God. We do not hate the things that God hates.

Thieves – There is more thievery going on today than I have ever seen. Our society EXPECTS something for nothing and they do not care where it comes from. We are fine with the government stealing from one class and giving to other. Then often the ones who do work steal from their employers by being lazy. People will steal spouses from one another. Boys steal the innocence of girls. Children steal from their parents. Thieves are everywhere.

Does it sound like I’m being hard on these people? Probably. I should be. God hates these things. But, as the evangelist went through the list last night he did not stop there. The next on the list was covetous.

Ouch!

Why did God place being covetous between thieves and drunkards? It really is simple. It is because God hates this sin as well. After all, it made the top ten. In fact, covetousness is the cause of a lot of the other sins. I believe that the sin of covetousness is killing the testimony of many Christian people. It is also hindering their Christian growth tremendously, including mine. When I have my eyes on “things of this world” my eyes are off God. When I focus on my “wants” I am not content with my needs. When I store up “treasures for myself” here on earth I neglect to store up heavenly treasures. In doing it all, I become worldly minded not spiritually minded. In I Timothy 6:8 we are told that if we have food and clothing we should be content. In Matthew 6, Jesus told us to seek the kingdom of God and all of our needs will be added to us. And Paul tells Timothy that “godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1Ti 6:6) In the words of the evangelist last night…

“Christians today are saying, I’m content with my godliness; now give me the great gain!”

Does this describe many Christians today? Does it describe the mindset in our churches? Does this describe the average materialistic American family? I’m afraid it does! I’m afraid it even describes me at times.

God help me to strive to be godly, for you tell me to be holy for You are holy. Lord, help me to make every effort to live a pure life in this world. Father, help me to be content with the things that You give me. I realize that every perfect gift comes from above. Help me to give you honor and glory in my life and live as a light set on a hill in this dark world. Help me to take to heart that godliness with contentment IS great gain and help me live accordingly.

Where We’ve Been

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 A good friend and I were talking today on the phone. In the midst of our conversation we started discussing past mistakes. Who hasn’t made mistakes in their marriage, in training their children, with finances, and such? We have all made poor decisions throughout life. This was the subject of our discourse. At one point in our exchange, I shared with her something that Jim Sammons once said to my husband and I. “God’s blessings are not based on how much we have done right but rather on which direction we are going.” I have carried around this little piece of encouragement for sometime, recalling it when the Enemy tries to remind me of my past failures. 

 Think about this for a moment. God is concerned with the path we are currently on. Those times we have walked upon the pathway of poor decisions and sin should only serve as a reminder of where we’ve been. It should not define who we are now. I can truly thank the Lord for those times in my past. Why? Because I have learned from them. I tell my children often that the best lessons are the ones learned. Would I make the same decisions again if I had it to do over? Of course not. But I have become stronger in my faith because of it. I have been shown the light of victory and I have been given a testimony. I can thank God for that.   

Think about this as well.  God desires us to use those poor decisions in our past to help teach others the truth and to point them to God. After King David repented of his sin against God of adultery, murder, lies, and covetousness he wrote in Psalm 51: 

  “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.”  

 

But he didn’t stop there. In verse 13 King David said, “Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” How easy would it have been for King David to simply say, “I’ve messed up. I’ve made poor decisions. I’ve sinned greatly. God can’t bless me anymore. God will never use me.”? I believe this is what the Enemy wants us to think. But remember God’s blessings are not based on how much we have done right but rather on which direction we are going. Does that mean that there will not be consequences for our past mistakes? No! There are always consequences. But God is good and His merciful kindness is great toward us. 
 

So, my prayer is simple. Lord, lead me in paths of righteousness, for Your name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3)

Thanks-living

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It was Charles Dickens who commented about us being somewhat mixed up here in America. He told an audience once that instead of having one Thanksgiving Day each year in November we should have 364 days of thanksgiving. “Use that one day each year just for complaining and griping,” he said. “Use the other 364 days to thank God for the many blessings He has showered upon you.” What an insight!

Many Christians struggle with knowing God’s will for their life. Here is it: “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”(1Th 5:18) It is God’s will for us to give thanks in everything. Notice that the Scripture doesn’t say to give thanks “for everything” but instead give thanks in everything. I am not thankful for sickness but I can be thankful in sickness. Why? Because it makes me dependent upon the Great Physician. I am not thankful for trials and troubles but I can be thankful in them. Why? Because they teach patience. I remember our pastor years ago, while teaching through this verse, challenge us to go through the week giving thanks in everything. It was the very next day as I was rushing out the door, late for an appointment, that my son, 2 years old at the time, dropped a gallon of milk on the floor. Recalling this verse I immediately stopped my first reaction. Stooping down to clean up the mess, I smiled at my son and told him that we should thank the Lord for this mess. Why? Because it reminded me to pray a prayer of thanksgiving. You see, I was not thankful for the spilled milk but I did learn to become thankful in the mess. When we live this way daily giving thanks unto our gracious Lord and Saviour our lives become filled with Thanks-living.

“When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, when you are discouraged, thinking all is lost. Count your many blessings name them one by one. And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. Count your blessings name them one by one. Count your blessings see what God has done. Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings see what God has done.”

90% Obedience = 100% Disobedience

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percentHe was just a little fellow, sitting on top of his bunk bed with his head hung low. “Son, you need to be obedient. Mommy and Daddy expect you to do what you’re told, when you’re told.” I don’t remember now what he was in trouble for but I do remember his response. “Mommy, nobody is perfect. I’m not Jesus.”

Over the years I have thought about that statement often. At first I allowed this form of manipulation to bring guilt. Maybe, I was expecting too much from a little boy. Maybe my standards were too high. But the Lord reminded me that if I was going to raise my children up according to Scriptures than I did not have the liberty of lower the standard. Sure, my children are not perfect. And sure, they will mess up. And when they do I will be faithful to forgive and love unconditionally just like God does. But nevertheless they are still expected to constantly obey. The bar of obedience will always be raised.

What if God treated His children like most parents treat their children today? Matthew 5:48 might look something like this: “Nobody is perfect but the Father in Heaven therefore do not worry about striving too hard, you’ll never make it.” Or when Jesus gave the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:37 it might have looked like this: “You shall love the Lord thy God as much as you can with your heart and soul and when you have time to think about it.” Or I Peter 1:15-16 might have read: “He who has called you is holy, so be holy as much as you can. I know however it’s impossible but try nonetheless.” And if God was like we are Jesus would not have said in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Instead, He might have said. “I realize that you’re love for me is not based on what you do, just tell me you love me, that’s enough for me.”

It’s blasphemy to say that God would act like this! Why then do we as parents? Why then do we as Christians? Why then do we as the church? I think it is because most people have broken the second commandment and have made a god in their own image. Most people have made up a god in their mind who has lowered the standard. This is why we have so many people who love to quote “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” and who like to point their fingers at people who are striving to please God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength and call these people legalistic. I counseled with a precious young lady on the phone the other day. She shared with me that some family members had accused her of “living under the law”. I asked this dear lady if she knew what I John 3:4 said. It says, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” Now, call me old fashion, but if sin is the transgression of the law then I want to do everything I can to not break it. Not because I have to but because I want to. I love the Lord and I desire to please Him not in word only but also in deed. (James 1:22) I pray that I will never be satisfied with being partially obedient. I realize that perfection will not come until the day I am glorified and the day that I will “be like him” (I John 3:2). But until that day, I will strive. I will press toward the mark of the high calling. It’s really a matter of the heart.

There is a love that God hates!

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broken heart

Yesterday in the news I read a story about an eleven year old girl who was abducted on her way home from school and kept hidden in her abductors backyard for nearly two decades.   She was raped and gave birth to two children by this evil man.  While thinking about the story my heart broke.  I have a little girl who is nearly 11 years old.  Just the thought brings horror.  And people wonder why I do not let my children out of my sight.  We live in an evil world.  There are many people who are evil and they love evil works of darkness.   “Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.”  Psalm 52:1-5         

Too many times I have heard sayings like this…  “A loving God would never send anyone to hell.”  Or “God is love, He cannot hate.”  Can I tell you that because God is love He must hate!  I love the Word of God therefore I hate false teaching.  I love freedom therefore I hate slavery.  I love the God ordained institution of marriage therefore I hate divorce, adultery, and homosexuality.  I love children therefore I hate abortion.  I love the truth therefore I hate lying.  I love everything that is good and holy therefore I hate everything that is evil.  “I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.” Psalm 26:5  “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil:” Psalm 97:10a                

There is a love that God hates.  Ask yourself, does God hate it when we have love for the things of this world?  “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”  1John 2:15-16   “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”  James 4:4

 So I must ask, “Are there things in my life that I love and yet God absolutely hates?”   “Do I love the world?”  “Do I love the things of this world?”  “Do I watch things on TV that grieves the Lord?  Do I listen to or read things that God hates?”   “Do I think and mediate upon things that God hates?”  “Is my affection set on things of the earth or on things above?”  May I never love the things that God hates.