Sceptre

What does Grace and an extended Sceptre have in common? Everything!

For many of us, when we know in our hearts we have done something silly, we don't feel we can approach God.
I have watched this in my own life at times. Thinking I need to prove my repentance with counter action. If I can show God just sorry I am, then and only then will He approve of me again...

I was thinking about this recently and remembered the account in scripture of a young lady.
She needed to approach the king and doing so, it could cost her very life. She understood from the handed down customs and expectations, that if the king didn't want to see her as she approached, he could actually have her killed.

She prepares her heart by fasting.
Goes to the throne room full of trepidation...

1...Esther dressed in her royal robes and went to the inner court of the palace in front of the throne. The king was sitting there, facing the open doorway. 2 He was happy to see Esther, and he held out the gold scepter to her.

When Esther came up and touched the tip of the scepter, 3 the king said, “Esther, what brings you here? Just ask, and I will give you as much as half of my kingdom.” 

Esther 5:1-3 esv

Esther forgot what we forget.
The Kings heart for us.
When she approached the king she was so focused on culture, the rules, hers and others expectations, that she missed the fact the kings heart was always for her and not against her.

All that matters as we approach God is our heart.
It is always about that for Him and should be for us as well.
All you need to do is prepare your heart for a moment, take a deep breath and humbly come to Him.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, 

that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

Hebrews 4:16 nkjv

Before you even need to come to God, His heart is for you.
God's sceptre of grace is ready and waiting to be extended to you right now!

Something to thing about...

My summary on 'gracefull'

After studying this whole concept of grace and then sharing on it over 3 weeks, I have come a special place in my faith.
I can truly say that grace has proven itself to be amazing, outstanding and even to a degree, always beyond my comprehension. And that is a good thing!

I thought I had it sussed in my own mind for some time, but God has shown me it is even bigger, more far reaching and more powerful for my life and yours.
That is why scripture talks about growing in grace.
Being lead by grace.
Grace upon grace until you are promoted to glory in heaven.

Grace has work to do that is never finished.
And grace never gets tired of such work.

Every day of your following Jesus is another opportunity for grace to be the star of the show.
You can experience grace for yourself.
You can express grace for others.

None of us are exempt from grace.
And while we are not worthy, yet we still receive.
Grace is the 'charis' - greek for gift, that God generously dishes out each and every day.
Then He invites us to join with Him it dishing it liberally to our sphere of influence.

Can I leave you with 3 key scriptures today regarding grace and you?

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 niv

All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15 niv

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14 niv

Something to think about...

If you would something to listen to, click here for the 1st in the gracefull series...

Mouth Rinse

As a kid growing up I had to deal with a lot of mouth rinse...
No not the soap based kind you probably first thought of!

Because of dental issues, I had a number of teeth pulled and then the recommended salty mouth rinse regime ensued for a number of weeks each time.
There was a reason for doing it, it was just not what I wanted to do.

When I read this passage again recently I couldn't help but be reminded of this childhood experience...

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, 

that you may know how you ought to answer each one. 

Colossians 4:6 njkv

I regularly in my role as a Pastor, have to season my mouth.
I want whatever I say, whether encouraging or correcting to be seasoned with grace.
Supposedly being right is one thing...
Delivering in a way that is received is totally another thing all together!

As a husband and parent the same thing applies...

All of us are called to this very thing...to let grace season the words of our mouths.
Let grace slosh around. Rinse it around. Shake your face to and fro until grace has permeated your teeth, your tongue and your lips.
Practically that means for me that I think very carefully before I speak.
Sometimes I rehearse it. Many times I pray fervently about it.
Grace should be the sound that is heard along with the verbs that I perpetuate.

Scripture also reminds us that there is the power of life and death in each of our tongues.
It can be a weapon of destruction or a true minister of grace.
Let's choose to season our speech to one another with grace.
Can I encourage you today to choose to speak life to one another?

Something to think about...

Fix

Are you one of those people who are good at fixing things?
Or maybe you are one of those people who just wish you had that gift? Don't worry, I'm not asking for you to raise you hand.

Part of our human nature is to normally try to fix things.
Whether it be broken hearts, busted dreams, or damaged relationships.
Either that or we try to fix them by doing the very opposite to avoid the mess...

Coldplay coined these words recently...
"Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you"

Can the words of a song really fix what might need fixing in your life right now? They maybe can help...but I am not convinced they will truly fix it.

I have some good news for you!
You don't have to rely on me or yourself to try and fix what is possibly wrong.
The fix you are maybe looking for starts I believe a little differently...

FIX your THOUGHTS

Our first choice, first action if you like, is to make some choices about what we think about the most.
Fixate on issue or focus on the fixer of our souls?

fix your thoughts on Jesus... Hebrews 3:1

There are many times something seemed impossible to fix, so I do what I can to focus on Christ, because I have no better place to turn.
And many times to help myself I remind myself or dive into His Word, to help guide my thoughts.

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds
Deuteronomy 11:18

FIX your EYES

...run with perseverance...fixing our eyes on Jesus...
Hebrews 12:1-2

While you wait for the fix, you have to keep on moving.
And if you keep on moving towards Jesus, with that as your goal, your fix will come, I promise you!

Don't let yourself be distracted or put off. Run after Him.

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Proverbs 4:25



Something to think about...

He's all about the Grace, 'bout the Grace...

Ok, I am being a little silly with this title, but seriously I think I have needed a revelation of this lately...and maybe this is for you as well?

For nearly 2 years I have been looking at teaching on grace.
Why has it taken me so long?
To be honest, I am not sure, apart from I haven't before now known where to start!

I read these words from an author by the name of Preston Sprinkle recently that helped me...

"Grace isn't a term. It’s not a doctrine. It’s not a buzzword.
It’s not the words of a song, a prayer before meals, a name plastered on our churches.
It’s not leniency or niceness. It’s not something that can be domesticated or completely understood. And it’s something that can never grow old or stale.
Grace is what flows through the veins of Jesus, who heart stubbornly beats for you."

One of the reasons I don't totally understand grace is because it actually doesn't make any sense.
Why is God so graceful to us when we certainly don't deserve it?
Why do we seem to at some point, to put a statute of limitations on grace, even when God doesn't ask us to?
Should grace be more simple, more defined?
I guess grace matches up to God's personality and His way of doing things. Didn't some old prophet say that God's ways and thoughts are higher than ours?

The reality for all of us is that we should never move from a place of grace, for ourselves and for others. When we do we actually move away from who God can be for us and those around us.

Many of the letters in the new testament finished with asking for God to pour His grace on the readers. And one author asked us to add grace to whatever grace we already have received...
May God this week do just that for you?
May you seek His grace and mercy over His judgement?
May grace cover you, lead you, motivate you and bring you closer to your father in heaven...

Something to think about...