Tag: grace

Daily Word

Ephesians

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Read Ephesians 1:1-2 – Back to book… Back to the Good Book.  Today we are going to return to our reading with the book of Ephesians.  It is in the New Testament.  The New Testament starts with the four gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  They covered Jesus’s birth, life, death and resurrection.  Acts comes next and covers the early beginning of the Church, the arrival of the Holy Spirit, Stephen’s death (the first person martyred for the Christian faith), and Saul/Paul’s road to Damascus experience.  Then Romans, Paul’s letter to Rome, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Paul’s letters to the church in Corinth, then the shorter epistles of Galations, EPHESIANS, Philippians and Colossians.  

I learned an acronym GENERAL ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, to keep these epistles straight.  My friend later taught me the Sunday school method – GO EAT POP CORN; isn’t that cute?  I hope  this is helpful.  I want you to know your way around the Bible as we go.

Ephesians was written by Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome.  If your bible contains an introduction to Ephesians, please read it along with verses :1-2:

“This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.  I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.  May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.”

Paul was chosen by God to be an apostle of Jesus… This happened after Jesus’s death, as Paul was on the road to Damascus with the intent to persecute Christians there.  It is an incredible conversion and you can read about it in Acts 9.  

Beloved, we are on a mission with Paul for more grace and peace found in Jesus.  God bless your day.

Daily Word

Psalm 19

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Read Psalm 19 – The heavens declare the glory of God – I’m visiting my cousin in Northern California and stepped outside to catch the sunset last night. I was awestruck by its beauty.    It was fiery orange and gold.  It declared the glory of God right before my eyes.  I felt very small in the presence of such majestic beauty…as if the very arms of God were holding me tight. I felt safe and protected and loved by the Creator of heaven and earth. 

David speaks of things such as this in Psalm 19.  It is poetic and it draws the soul into the awesomeness of the Lord.   He speaks of the law and the delight of following it with words like perfect, refreshing, trustworthy, radiant and pure. (:7-11)

Verses :11-12 invite one to inventory both the hidden sins and the willful ones – that they do not rule over oneself. By our sin nature we are prone to both. May each of us invite the Holy Spirit to reveal every transgression, that we would confess and be clean. 

“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. ” :14 

With reverent and humble surrender we are invited to approach the throne room of grace.   Hallelujah and amen.

Daily Word

Genesis 33

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Read Genesis 33 – This is an answered prayer.

In Genesis 32:8-12, Jacob prayed to be saved from Esau’s likely attack. And we see Esau receiving Jacob with joyful enthusiasm (:4). One can only speculate that God changed Esau’s heart considering the fact that he brought 400 men with him to meet up with Jacob, and the last time they were together Esau wanted to kill him.

Jacob/Israel approaches his brother with utmost respect. And their reunion is wonderful. Esau wants Jacob to come with him to Seir, but Jacob says he will meet him there. Scripture does not say this happened. It says Jacob went to Sukkoth and built a place for himself and shelters for the livestock… in other words, they would be staying a while.

After, they went to Shechem and Jacob set up an altar, and called it El Elohe Israel. “The God of Israel”.

It seems as if Jacob/ Israel is rather cautious as he steps into the future the LORD has given him… the perfectionist in me wants him to show up in a cape, heroically stating, “I AM ISRAEL! GOD IS WITH ME AND NO ONE CAN STAND AGAINST ME! ” I tend to put these expectations on myself to a degree as well. But Israel is doing just fine being sanctified into the man God will use. So am I. So are you. Grace to us all, Beloved, may the grace of our Lord and Savior keep us walking closely with Him.

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1 Peter 1

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Read 1 Peter 1 – May God give you more and more grace and peace. 

Peter is writing to the people of modern day Turkey (Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia 1:1) to comfort and encourage them in a season of persecution.  This letter was written around 63 A.D. – Jesus was crucified in 33 A.D.  It is a mere 30 years later and Christianity is still considered fringe by the masses…. And common people tend to treat non-conformists with hostility, much like today. 

Peter reminds them of their hope due to God’s mercy, Jesus’ resurrection and their Salvation(1:3).  He assures them by their faith, God is protecting them (1:5).  He doesn’t sugar-coat the truth that there will be trials, but encourages them to take joy over the fact that these trials reveal their faith to be genuine and will ultimately result in great praise, glory and honor when Jesus is revealed to the whole world(1:6-7). 

Beloved, read these words, pray for the Holy Spirits lead as you navigate the trials of life in this world.🙏🏻🕊📖🤗📖🕊🙏🏻

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2 Samuel 9

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Read 2 Samuel 9 – Did you remember to remember Mephibosheth?  We met him briefly in 2 Sam 4:4, he is the crippled son of Jonathon and living in hiding.  King David asks if there is anyone from Jonathon’s family he can show kindness to, and is told about Mephibosheth.  David summons for him, and he calls himself David’s servant, and bows low to the ground in respect (and perhaps fear – 9:6).  Being crippled meant Mephibosheth was not eligible to be king, yet David treated him with great honor, restoring all the land that had been Sauls to him and insisting that he dine with King David, like one of his own sons.  This segment shines of Jesus’s love, we are not eligible for heaven because of our sin affliction, yet Jesus made a way for us to dine at his table.  He offers us Salvation.  We become adopted into the kingdom of heaven because Jesus died, and rose again, conquering sin and death, covering and restoring us by His sacrifice… so much like Mephibosheth has been redeemed to the kings table, purely by David’s grace.

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1 Samuel 26

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Read 1 Samuel 26 – Can you picture it?  If it was a movie, would the director give it a comedic flare or cue in the dramatic music?  David and Abishai slip into Saul’s enemy camp – through 3,000 sleeping soldiers, to Saul and Abner who were in the center.  This is what God’s favor looks like (26:12).  David and Abishai whisper over what to do next.  David forbids the killing of Saul, again because he is God’s anointed, but instead takes his spear and water jug, and moves a safe distance away, and begins taunting Saul and his troops.  King Saul responds, calling him, “David, my son” (26:17)  Talk about a dysfunctional relationship!  Saul repents to David, asks him to come home and says he will not harm him (26:21).  This sounds a lot like the cave scene in chapter 24.  Have you ever shown grace to a difficult person?  It will reveal your true heart.  I am awed by David’s lead.  His men did not take matters into their own hands even though their lives were also in jeopardy.  Patience, courage, loyalty and faith are revealed in our chapter.  ⏳🛡🦁📖🦁🛡⏳