The lighthouse

My grandfather was a lighthouse keeper back in the early part of the 20th. Century. So now you know I’m no spring chicken. Getting back to grandpa …as I said he was a lighthouse keeper when my Dad was a little boy, or at least perhaps early teens, I’m not sure. Anyway “Bubba” being the name the grandkid’s affectionately called him tended the light at Head Harbour on Campobello Island in New Brunswick Canada…it is also called East Quoddy Head Light. Pretty impressive, eh?(As they say here in Canada) If you know anything about Campobello Island you’ll know that it is located in the Bay of Fundy where the highest tides in the world are. And if you think that the highest tides occur in Alaska, guess what …..wrong!
Again getting back to “Bubba” and his lighthouse……when the tide went out or down (whatever terminology is correct isn’t important)you can walk to the little island on which the lighthouse still stands but you don’t have a lot of time to get back because once the tide turns and starts to come back in (or up) it doesn’t take long before you are stranded there. Or worse caught in the tide and swept off your feet. That’s when those swimming lessons come in handy.
“Bubba” had a dinghy (that’s a small row boat, landlubbers) but you only needed it when the beach was under water, which is most of the time.
So my Dad and his brother were pretty good oarsmen. Also if you know anything about the bay of Fundy it can get mighty foggy in about two minutes if it so desires and you can’t even see the island when you need to….but you can see the light (that’s why it’s there…duh…) So when Dad couldn’t see the beach or the little island, he still could see the light and you would have to be stone deaf not to hear that fog horn. It would just about blow you out of the boat.
There is a song that talks about the lighthouse on the hillside that overlooks life’s sea and when I’m tossed it’s a light that I can see…it goes on to say…”I thank God for the lighthouse, I owe my life to Him” and there’s no doubt that many fishermen and mariners in general owe their lives to East Quoddy Light…Head Harbour Light if you please but, the greatest light of all is the truth of God’s Word and that book is called the holy bible. Jesus is the lighthouse the song says and how true that statement is. Sometimes you can’t see the island…..but you can always see the light and you know that the island is there and just inside the small island that supports the lighthouse is Head Harbour, a safe haven. You can anchor there or tie up to the wharf safely.
The hymn writer many years ago put it this way…
“My soul in sad exile was out on life’s sea so burdened with sin and distressed…”…know what he is talking about? But then he says “I’ve anchored my soul in the haven of rest, I’ll sail the wide seas no more , The tempest may sweep ‘ore the wild stormy deep,” but … “in Jesus I’m safe evermore” Hallelujah!
If you are tossed and driven tonight on that sea remember that Jesus is the haven of rest.

Believers stand in grace - Rom. 5:1, 2. These scriptures in full, 1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.

This thought led me to search out scriptures about standing. There are many throughout the Word. More than half of them use the phrase “stand firm”. I am sure, however, that we cannot stand firm against all the things we face in the run of our lives, outside the grace of God.

Let’s look at some of the scriptures I looked up:
Ex. 14: 13, 14. “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.”

Almost the same words are in 2 Chron 20:17, “... stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you ... the Lord will be with you.”

One time when I was under an unfair burden of criticism, a pastor friend pointed me to the scripture in Rom 14:4, “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” Of course, our master is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ - we stand for Him alone. We need to stand firm - in what we believe, and in whom we believe. Easier to say than do some days, but for His great grace ...

A encouraging word in Ps 40:2 says, “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. Can’t get much firmer a place to stand than standing on the ROCK.

1 Cor. 15:58 tells us, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you ...” There are many other scriptures that tell us to stand firm - the last one I will include here is the well known one in 1 Cor. 10:13, No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” The same scripture in the Life Application Bible, “And no temptation is irresistible. You can trust God to keep the temptation from being so strong that you can’t stand up against it, for He has promised this and will do what He says. He will show you how to escape temptation’s power so that you can bear up patiently against it.”

There are many other scriptures which command us to stand firm. When you have time, check them out and be encouraged.

We hear the phrase, “cut and run” often these days on the news - referring to pulling out of Iraq. In actual fact, often we, too, feel there is nothing to do but “cut and run” when we walk through difficult places, but for the GRACE of God, we can “stand firm”. What are you facing today? His grace is, not just sufficient, but more than enough. May He give you strength to stand today.

Posted by Naida

The Law!
There is a secular song that was written some years ago (not my kind of song really) but the lyrics went like this, "I fought the law and the law won"
There’s something about the nature of man(the sinful nature) that if you know to do a thing is wrong then that is when you want the more to do it. I’m speaking about our sinful nature and I think that is what the apostle is referring to in Ro. Ch.7. Starting with vs. 7 down to vs.12 (include vs. 12) from the NKJV, “What shall we say then? IS THE LAW SIN? Cerytainly not! On the contrary. I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would have not known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”
But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment(see now sin takes an advantage because now the temptation factor has increased many fold once our sinful nature knows it’s sin)produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. (parenthesis is mine)
I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.
And the commandment, which was (intended) to bring life, I found to bring death.(parenthesis mine again)
For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.
Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

This is a picture of my life. Sin is so deceptive, so dastardly, so absolutely despicable that it will use that which is good and just and holy for deceiving Christians and causing them to fail if possible. And all to many times it works. So I must daily realize that the enemy of my soul is still at work and I must keep my guard of defence active… and how do I accomplish that? By putting on the whole armor of God and standing in that armor and having done all to continue to stand.
Eph.6:10-19, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all, to tand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
And having shod your feet with the gospel of peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”…..Wow! What a powerful piece of God’s word.
That is the answer for our failures. If we know this armor is available(and we do) then why are we not putting it on?And wearing it every day? It is ours for the taking. It is mine for the taking. It fits …it is customized to fit me…and you. I now realize who the enemy is…actually I‘ve have realized it all along….it’s not flesh and blood….not people…it is the enemy of our souls and he comes in principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places…unseen maybe but he is there and we must put on not just part of the armor but all of it. And the law which is holy and just and good has revealed what sin is. Therefore I must put on the new man which the Bible says was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. And the reference is Gal.4:24
I am saved by the Blood of the crucified One…glory to God! And I'm kept by His Blood every day. I plead His Blood afresh today.

“Look for the cross.” Yesterday, on my way to church, I listened to a program on CBC - a secular news type program - dealing with the problems in North Korea. In the process of his work in Washington, DC, the person being interviewed travels in and out of North Korea, China, and so on. He involves himself in helping refugees in China from North Korea, helping them not to be sold as house slaves, or worse, which he described.

He told about North Koreans in attempting to cross the border into China being faced with almost assuredly being shot by border guards - it being illegal to leave North Korea without permission. Border guards stationed on the border between North Korea and China will shoot in the back anyone they see crossing because it is seen as treason against their country.

During this whole interview, I was most moved by a phrase he used, “Look for the cross.” He told that North Koreans who are contemplating the dangerous journey into China were told by people trying to help them, “Look for the cross.” He went on to explain that they were told that if they survived crossing the border and could find a building with a cross, if they went into that building, they would be safe and would be cared for. Imagine!!

This brings up several issues for us, North Americans. Would we put a cross on our churches if we faced the dangers of persecution by the government of China? Then, I wonder if our churches, in which we face no persecution, would be open to helping people in this way - to provide safety from death, and provision for finding a life in a new country.

I cannot help be moved by this practical display of grace - described in a very ordinary manner by a secular person, not claiming to be a Christian, without commentary about it at all. Just that this is what happens. We have so much to learn about grace, don’t we?

We could contemplate the scripture telling of Barnabas being excited about when he visited the church at Antioch, he "saw the evidence of the grace of God .... " in how the Christians there were treating the people.

Submitted by Naida

My grace is sufficient for thee.
We’ve been doing this blog for almost 2 ½ months now and the subject has expanded from grace, to grace and truth. And I have opened myself up to be as transparent as I can be and I think we have covered a lot of territory….many aspects of grace. But I still cannot say that I understand the grace of God that much. Do you know what I’m saying? I’m thinking about PAUL the great apostle of the cross…the Christian faith, (not religion)…he’s not the only one but next to Jesus Himself, Paul probably did more to expand the vision of the Gospel than any other man. And yet he asked God to remove his thorn in the flesh and guess what God told him./…..My grace is sufficient for thee. What kind of answer is that …after all hadn’t Paul been used mightily in the gifts? Had he not prayed for the sick, had he not cast out demons by the Word of God?
And now he’s asking God to deliver him from this messenger SENT FROM Satan to buffet him, beating on him In my thinking I too have asked the lord for specific things as TIME SLIPS BY things regarding my spirituality…..other needs as well that would seem good
If God would answer right away and even work a miracle or two but He says to me also, “My grace is all you need.” I have been doing this blog thinking I’m doing a good thing, shedding some light, helping some body else and I still have a whole lot to learn myself about His grace.
Getting back to Paul and my asking , “what kind of answer is that?” I am not being irreverent or am I questioning God….I’m trying to find the reason from God’s word for answering Paul’s request in that fashion
And I come to the same conclusion as before(remember Paul asked three times) the conclusion being that Jesus is always right, He’s never wrong so it must follow that there is something about grace that is better sometimes than deliverance. Have I missed the point? Help me if I have. Living with a burden that is wearing me down is best when I am living with it and appropriating His grace in all of it’s aspects and power than being delivered because it draws me closer to Him.
That is why the apostle could say, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” And the reason he said all that is because Jesus told him, “My strength is made perfect in weakness.” You can read this in 2 Cor. 12:7-10. “Lest I should be exalted” that was the reason for the buffeting, but the benefits outweighed any buffeting Satan could come up with…Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ….He is Grace and He is Truth. I found the answer to my question. And I shall let His strength be made perfect from now on in my weakness.
Thank You Jesus….Hallelujah!

Usually, I don’t take pictures of trees at other seasons of the year. But at this time of year, I find myself often reaching for my camera, sometimes stopping the car because I simply cannot continue without taking a picture. Here is one I took recently, stopping beside the road in Cape Breton, even though the leaves had
not fully changed colour.

Then early this morning, I was reminded of the scripture in Isaiah “They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendour,”(NIV) or “for His glory” (TLB), Is. 61:3. Imagine our lives being “for His glory”. I cannot help but think about the days when I do not display “His glory” with my life. His continuing love on those days are once again evidence of His grace to us.

And then, as with all of us, one thought leads to another. My mind flits through the Bible, from person to person, some of whom on certain days did not display His glory and, yet, God extended His grace.

Abraham, a man of great faith, who was called “a friend of God” in 2 Chr. 20:7, yet we know he disobeyed God and made some big mistakes in his life.

Samson, too, had times of being led by God’s Spirit, yet became defeated by his own moral weakness (Judges 16). Still, God was with him, and helped him even in the time of His death.

A great deal of the Bible is devoted to the life and writings of David, chosen by God to be King over Israel. We know him as even being a “type of Christ”, yet there were days when his life must have grieved God. However, God extended His grace to him and forgave him, referring to him as “a man after His own heart.”

The list goes on; think of Peter and Thomas - there must have been days when their actions disappointed Jesus. Yet, because of His grace, they are looked on as “oaks of righteousness ... for His glory”.

We, too, on the days when our actions or attitudes do not display His glory, are still enveloped by His unfailing love, His grace.

Submitted by Naida

Grace and Truth

In the gospel of John we read these words: “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
In this series of studying the Word I would like to examine these two aspects…..theLaw of Moses versus the grace and truth of Jesus.

It would be a gross error to report that there was no grace under the law. In fact the law given by Moses on Mount Sinai was in itself a dispensation of grace in that it pointed out the gracious plan of God to save men by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All the types and shadows implied by the law pointed to the cross of Calvary where Jesus purchased our salvation with His own blood and became the sacrifice ….the only sacrifice that was and ever will be needed for our salvation. As we read the old testament it is replete with examples of God’s grace. But the Gospel which Jesus introduced (He is the Gospel) opened up God’s unmerited favor to the whole world, which the law had only overshadowed and that to the Jewish people only. And in the mercy of God, one dispensation of mercy and truth is designed to give way for and be followed by another and greater dispensation of mercy and truth ushered in by His death on the cross. And thusly the apostle John could say that grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. But remember Jesus said ….”before Abraham was I AM”……therefore He was before Moses also and that implies to me that grace and truth are eternal values because He is eternal.
He was full of grace and truth. Jesus Christ was always in existence for He is God. “In the beginning was the Word (John 1:1) and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”And in vs 14 John says , “And the Word was made flesh” That very One Who was in the beginning….Who was with God ….and Who was God
In the fullness of time became flesh….that is He became incarnated by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary. This is proof of His eternal power and Godhead as referred to by the apostle Paul when he wrote in Romans 1:20. This record of John tells us , “He dwelt among us”…that human nature that He took from His mother Mary, He tabernacles in , He took upon Himself flesh just like our flesh. Wht mercy, what love and what grace! And this He did so that He could taste death for every man…..for me, He did it for me. I WHO HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT of the glory of God. I have now repented of my sin and He has forgiven me and He will do the same for you.

This morning I found myself going back over some earlier postings here in our blog and one submitted by Naida stood out to me..it is in regards to us extending grace to others. I think it was September 17, you will have to go to the archive and click on Sept to find it. The thought came to me as I was reading it, that to extend Hs grace to someone else really counts most when you extend it to some person who has given you the most grief. It might even be another Christian, maybe, maybe not.
I heard a story one time about a man who lived in a certain place in New England I think it was,really doesn't matter. This guy was a real mean character and nobody liked him, couldn't find anything good to say about him or his family, who by the way didn't like each other either. Most of them lived by themselves I gather from the story becasuse of their dislike for each other. But this guy was fairly well off and was a real miser to boot.
And he died. Like everyone else does or will do at some point. So the authorities of that town had to ask the undertaker to prepare him for burial(I guess they didn't go for cremation) and so the undertaker being a fair minded man requested the town's people to at least attend some kind of service. When the good folks of the town had assembled in the funeral parlor the undertaker, trying to give him a decent burial with some unearned respect, asked if somebody would say something nice that they could think of about this man. No one moved. Finally upon pleading by the funeral director, one man stood up and came to the front and stood by the casket. He cleared his throat, shuffled his feet , cleared his throat again, looked up at the ceiling
then back to the man lying there in the casket. He still looked deep in thought. What could he say that was good about this man?Then it struck him like an answer from the blue.
"His brother was worse" he said. Whether this is a true story is not the point, but perhaps if it was and somebody had extended the grace of God to him in his early life ...there would have been a better funeral service. Maybe even a celebration of his life.
AS i SAID , I can't verify the facts of this story but the point is well taken I think.
Jesus said we are to love our enemies and do good to them who despitefully use us. I think that is the point of the posting in September's archives.

Grace tests our quality.

I hope from the previous blog that you don’t get the impression that I’m running around on my wife or that I hve murdered anyone…I just want to point out what the human heart is capable of……that’s why we must pray for that peace that sets a garrison over our thoughts to keep us true

1 Peter 4:12 and I’ve taken the liberty to quote from theAmplified Bible, “Beloved, don’t be amazed at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test your quality, as though something strange (unusual and alien to you and your position) were befalling you,13 But insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, rejoice, so that when His glory ( full of radiance and splendor) is revealed, you may also rejoice with triumph [exultantly]…..He is testing our quality…that’s what submission does…test’s our quality./…
It takes the grace of God to submit ourselves to one another
And this fiery trial that Peter speaks about is another outstanding example of God’s marvelous grace. He is testing our quality.
Again in 1 Peter 6,7, 8b
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved with various trials, that the genuiness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ; whom having not seen, you love.”
The trial of faith…testing our quality…what was it that Job said about “when he has tried me then I shall come forth as gold? Something like that I think. The reference escapes me right at the moment.
Speaking of Job …….read chapter 31 and get a glimpse of a man with integrity if there ever was such a man with integrity and Job was truly a man of integrity. As far as we know the book of Job is the oldest book in the Bible so it stands to reason that the events that took place there happened before the giving of the Law that God gave Moses at Mount Sinai.
Yet he knew the meaning of what sacrifices meant as also did Able in the book of Genesis. Just read the first chapter of Job. Look at verse 5. “So it was, when the days of feasting had run
their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.”
(and I like this next part) Thus Job did…… REGULARLY. nkjv

Job was a man of whom God testified was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil…truly an example of a man with integrity…a man to look up to.
And Job did not deserve what he got. He was a man of God.
How we need to pray for men of God. They are special targets of Satan as indeed Job was. But God was testing his quality and Job cried out at one point (perhaps his lowest) though He slay me yet will I trust Him….what quality!
Pray today for pastors and missionaries as well as all who are on God’s front lines….they need our earnest prayers. I’m talking about those who truly are involved in ministry and that includes you if you have a prayer life ; you are praying for others or you have a ministry of helps or whatever it may be that supports the furtherance of the Gospel……I pray that God will keep you too. We need the covering of the Blood of Jesus applied to our hearts and minds daily and for our families also.
Job made provision for his family, his sons because he was afraid that maybe, just maybe they might have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. He wasn’t taking any chances. What about us? What about me? Am I being diligent enough? Am I lifting my family before the Lord daily? Sometimes more often than that…..but I need to be more diligent. We need to take a page out of Job’s book….I’m speaking about his faithfulness and his integrity…..not his problems…God forbid!
We don’t know what is up the road do we? God extended His grace to Job but it might have seemed like forever to him.
Remember, God is faithful and He will never let you down if you like Job pray for those who have despitefully used you. Job 42:10, “And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. If you have been offended , even by friends and usually it is a friend or family member statistics show…..pray for them and forgive them. In other words extend God’s grace to them. Try it…it works.

Examples of grace in the Bible(the record)
As I ponder this subject of grace…God’s grace I cannot help but think of those examples in the Bible
Examples like David and consider him and some of the gross sins in his life. And then I think …are we any better…am I any better than he? Maybe I have never committed adultery in a physical relation with another woman but have I in my heart?
Jesus said that if we looked at another with lust in our hearts..we have done so….I have never murdered anyone but if I have hated my brother? What was it He said? That I’ve done so in my heart? He did say that didn’t He?

So David actually did the deed…is that worse? He lusted in his heart and then committed the act. He had Uriah murdered in a way did he not? A despicable act indeed. But is it any worse in God’s sight than if I ruin the character of a fellow Christian through gossip? Is that not just as bad? Slander his name. In some parts of the world, in some cultures the saints have wine at the dinner table....and we condemn them, but are we doing worse with our condemnation (and I'm not condoning that) but it's their culture and it was the culture of Paul's day as well....a little wine for the stomach's sake? Oh, but you say that was not fermented wine....why call it wine then? Jesus said in Matthew's gospel ch.15 vs.10,11 "Hear and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."
Elvis said “you can slander my name all over the place, but don’t you step on my blue suede shoes….Some people would rather talk about another person….they have no problem hurting another…..but if you step on their toes up rises the old righteous indignation…they can get holier than thou awfully quick. I think of David….King of Israel ….dignity, grace, stature…a man after God’s own heart…but he failed …oh how he failed….oh how he failed. And then I look in the mirror and I say oh how you have failed! That guy in the mirror is not one iota better than the old king was. And yet he cried out to God in Psalm 51 starting at verse 4, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: “ Some of us might have an argument with David there but while he said those words
just previous to that he said “I acknowledge my transgressions
And my sin is ever before me.”It woud be good for us to read and reread that psalm, a prayer really, a wonderful example of true repentance. In verse 9 he cries out to God, “Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.” And God will do that, praise His name!
Hezekiah in Isaiah ch.38, “verse 17 says, “Behold, for peace I had great bitterness; but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.” Isn’t that a wonderful example of truth. Grace and Truth comes from the Lord Jesus Christ! (Jn.1:17)
Had it not been for a hill called Mt. Calvary…had it not been for an old rugged cross….had it not been for a Man called Jesus…..then forever my soul would be lost. Grace…. I need His grace today......I need the blood applied......I need to die to the flesh again this day....I need His grace
And He gives it free of charge , unmerited, unearned, matchless grace....Praise God forevermore

Missing the point
As co-owner of this blog I reserve the right to publish or reject or even moderate the comments that come to our site. And so far until yesterday I had only rejected one because it was an advertisement to buy something…..I forget now what it actually was. However I do not intend to allow anything offensive or distracting from the subject of grace to be published….I hope that is fair…I believe it is.

Yesterday I made mention of the fact that Christians were being persecuted in India. The truth is “all who live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” according to 2nd. Tim 3:12
Not just in India but everywhere. True Christians are praying for India as we are praying for “ all men everywhere” The Bible instructs us to do that somewhere in the book of Acts.

Getting bck to yesterday’s blog, I received one comment from a person identifying themselves as “universalhindu”. That person took exception to my reference to the persecuting of Christians by Hindu fanatics……and I did use the word fanatics. And I certainly am not doing this blog to knock people’s religions. This is not about religion …it’s about a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ not religion. Jesus told a man by the name of Nicodemus that he needed to be born again if he wanted to see the kingdom of GOD. And Jesus came and died on a cruel Roman cross as a substitute for your sin and mine and He arose from the grave on the third day to redeem us from sin and that is what this blog is about ….grace….the grace of God as demonstrated through our Lord Jesus Christ. Religion is what man does ….salvation is what God did.And is still doing. Once for all time…no need of sacrifes any longer …He is the supreme sacrifice. And He will save you.
This person said and I quote,"Your Christ is not the only God for humans....we Hindus got many many Gods and Goddesses and we also are ready to suffer and die for our religion. Do not think your religion is superior to our religion." Again I would like to stress that true Christianity is not about religion but it is about a Person and that Person is Jesus Christ of Nazereth, the only One who rose up from the grave and lives forever more. In the book of Job chapter 9, Job asked a question. How can a man be righteous before God? The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Cor. 5:21, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
My Hindu friend ask Jesus to come into your heart and life and He will redeem you and change your life and make you ready for heaven…there is only one way to heaven and that is through the Lord Jesus Christ. The whole point is grace if you read this blog you will see that is true. I am praying for you that your eyes will be open to the Truth. Truth is not a religion….it is a Person and that Person is Jesus Christ.
Christians (and I am talking about true Christians who have been born again) love the people of India as well as China and Israel and all men and women everywhere. True Christians love people. Remember, this blog is about grace and that grace is extended to you today. I urge you to go back and read the entire blog and don't just read one excerpt. Read all of it before you judge. Again in Eph. ch.2:8&9, "For by grace(God's unmerited favor) you have been saved through faith, and that (the faith) not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." You can be saved today.

“To me to live is Christ”

The words of the Apostle Paul ring in my heart as I consider this aspect of grace. The other night we were visiting with one of our corporate sponsors and several of our friends and there in that meeting we were privileged to be in the company of a man from India who is in charge of several churches in that country. As he spoke of the persecutions and beatings ….even killing of Christians by Hindu fanatics I was moved to ponder where grace comes in . What would we do in those kind of circumstances? Would we be willing to face what these pastors and congregations face. People breaking in to their homes and dragging people off somewhere and beating them and leaving them for dead?
Yet the apostle did the same before his conversion to Christ, did he not? And after his conversion, he was himself beaten and left for dead more than once, I believe. This is a picture of grace extended to others in the life of Paul and in modern day India. And although we probably wouldn’t agree with the Amish way of life, I was impressed by their offer of forgiveness the other day in the light and aftermath of such an horrendous
Killing of their children and had to ask myself….would I feel such forgiveness so soon? It would require a healthy dose of God’s fathomless grace I think.

Grace to help in the time of need/ Beware the little foxes

We were away this weekend enjoying the good life with some friends….dear friends and a couple things happened in which I discovered the truth of God’s Word “grace to help in time of need”
That place found in Hebrews 4:16 that says, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Have you ever been shunned by an individual and could not understand why….not just a cold shoulder but total and deliberate ignoring of the very fact you are in their presence or have you been misunderstood because you gave out the wrong message? That is when you need a good dose of “grace to help in time of need” I don’t know why I was totally ignored by not just one, but a group of relatives, so I could not fix it by doing anything but I have to admit that it did hurt a little….no I retract that ….it hurt a lot. But there was “grace to help in time of need” .God had my loving wife and good friends there to ease my concerns….that I had not done the wrong thing but rather I had gone out of my way to say hello.
The Word of God for today includes a verse from the Song of Solomon. Ch 2:15 says, “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.” Relationships….
How important to guard our relationships with others…..family…friends..the devil has so many little foxes that spoil the vines……….our relationship with others ….those tender grapes that the vines communicate….we network through as Tim MacDonald likes to call it (Tim is one of our fine missionaries currently in Tobago). Something we might say ….or leave the wrong impression….I do it all the time I guess (leave the wrong impression) that’s when I need His grace ….so many many times.
I’ve come to the conclusion many times that it’s my fault…..if I have not been on guard and asked Jesus to “set a watch over my tongue” then that leaves a hole in the fence and a chance for the little foxes to get in. Oh how I hate to offend someone…it causes me pain to do so. “for our vines have tender grapes” The next verse says, “My Beloved is mine, and I am His:” …..thanks be to God
He is mine and I am His….oh Hallelujah!,Hallelujah!
Jesus said in Matt.7:3-5, “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam that is in thine own eye; and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” Sometimes it’s like that isn’t it? You have been misjudged by someone dear to you? Don’t retaliate and don’t judge back….until you have had an eye examination by a qualified eye specialist….I know One ….His name is the Holy Spirit….and He giveth more grace.