Posts with the category “drops-of-grace”

…they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. (Isaiah 40.31 ESV, KJV, RSV) …those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. (Isaiah 40.31 NIV) Perhaps you have memorized Isaiah 40.30-31, but in which translation? Did you learn to HOPE in the Lord or WAIT for the Lord? What’s the difference? Is there a difference? At first glance, to “wait” seems rather passive. “Hope” can also seem passive, but it has a greater sense of anticipation to it. The New Living Translation uses the phrase “trust in the Lord”. That seems to be a bit more active than just waiting and hoping.  Read More

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. (John 10.27) Everybody wants to be heard. Everybody wants to have a voice. Unfortunately, in today’s culture, Christians find it hard to have a voice. And, with so many voices out there, the voice of God is even sometimes hard to hear, let alone recognize the voice of God.  Read More

From Palm Sunday to Good Friday Jesus’ mission on earth was drawing near. He was the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world. On the cross Jesus proclaimed: “It is finished”. Jesus, the unblemished lamb of God, paid the price for our sins. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” I Peter 2.24  Read More

It’s not a rhetorical question. Who are you? Take some time right now to answer that question. In fact, take a piece of paper and make a list of all that comes to mind. Don’t read any further until you answer this question: Who are you?  Read More

Jesus was in a boat with the disciples when a great storm arose. The storm began to rage, and the boat was being flooded by the waves. The disciples were in a panic. They were afraid the boat would capsize. Where was Jesus? He was taking a nap. How was it possible that Jesus could be sleeping in the midst of a violent storm? I believe Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was at peace because of His intimate union with His Father. God was with Him.   Read More

Did you know that you don’t have to be an ordained pastor to be in ministry? Did you know that you don’t have to go to seminary in order for God to use you to transform lives? When you accepted Christ into your heart, it was a response to God’s invitation to join Him in ministry by joining Him in His mission.   Read More

You know the old proverb: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Let me ask you another question: How do you walk with God? Answer: Step by step. It’s about living one day at a time – one hour at a time – one moment at a time. As you begin to walk with God, or continue your journey with Him, pay attention to what He shows you, along the way, and start to claim everything God gives us, turning it back to praise. Receive all that belongs to you as co-heirs with Christ.   Read More

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1.5 God created the sun and the moon, all the stars and planets, and as a result, even at night there is a light that shines. That’s because the sun is always shining, and at night, in the darkness of the sky, the moon, planets and stars all reflect the sun. It was a star that led the Wisemen to baby Jesus.   Read More

“These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.” Psalm 42.4   Read More

John Wesley was famous for asking the question, “How is it with your soul?” If someone asked you that question, what would you say? Are you aware of your soul? How do you define the soul? Dallas Willard wrote: “Our soul is like an inner stream of water, which gives strength, direction and harmony to every other element of our lives. When that stream is as it should be, we are constantly refreshed and exuberated in all we do, because our soul itself is then profusely rooted in the vastness of God and his kingdom, including nature…. To refer to someone’s soul is to say something about the ultimate depths of his/her being.”   Read More

God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" Exodus 3.14 What does God mean? First and foremost, it means that there is no other God. He is the one true God. “I AM WHO I AM.” We are the clay, and He is the Potter. Who are we to question Him? Even beyond that, how are we to KNOW Him? What does “I AM” mean to us?   Read More

While on earth, Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is in your midst.” (NIV)  The NKJV says: “The Kingdom of God is within you.”  Both versions are correct.  In Jesus, the Kingdom of God was literally here on earth, “in the midst of you”. (ESV)  However, for those who follow Christ, who have put their faith and trust in Him as their Lord, the Kingdom of God now resides within the individual.  So, in e...  Read More

“We are given no signs from God; no prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be.” (Psalm 74.9) Like the Psalmist, we have no idea when this pandemic will be over. We get some signs of improvement – little by little our country, our world, is opening up – and then there’s an increase of new Covid19 cases and things seem to shut down again – “none of us knows how long this will be.” Fortunately, God knows.   Read More

“So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.” (Matthew 7.17) - The good news is this: we already possess what we need to produce good fruit. We already have within us what we need to be “healthy”. We don’t need to read some self-help book, or join the latest healthy eating plan or find the best fitness programs to be healthy in the way Jesus means. He is basically stating the facts. A tree that is in bad shape, not being well taken care of, has a disease, will produce bad fruit. It cannot, and will not produce good fruit. In fact, Jesus says elsewhere, that tree needs to be cut down and thrown into the fire.  Read More

There may be times when it is clear that God created you “for such a time as this” – that you, and you alone are the right person, in the right place, at the right time to do what God’s wants to done. Could this pandemic be such a time? During this time of uncertainty, maybe it’s time to ask God, “What would you have me do at this time?” Could God be preparing you to do something you have imagined doing, dreamed about doing, but have never seriously considered taking the steps to make it happen?  Read More

I have been enjoying our youngest daughter living with us these days. She has become the “home chef” - introducing us to some fine cuisine (most of it is vegan, but it is really delicious). It got me thinking about Psalm 34.8: “Taste and See that the Lord is good!” To “taste” something means we have to eat something. What is it God wants us to eat and taste? I looked up the word “eat” in the Bible, and was surprised at how many verses talk about this very common, ordinary act. But, I sense something more profoundly Spiritual than just eating a meal. After all, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on ever word that comes from the mouth of God.” To taste the goodness of God is about digesting the presence of God by savoring the Word of God...  Read More

I am a fan of the Winnie the Pooh stories. You have Eeyore - Ever the pessimist. Then, there’s Tigger - Always bouncing around on his tail, perhaps having his head in the clouds a little too much. There are other characters, but those two seem to be the extremes. I see Winnie the Pooh right in the middle of Eeyore and Tigger. Pooh seems to be a realist. He seems to just go with the flow, And, no matter what happens, he is always able to find his “happy place..."  Read More

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” I John 4.10 As the saying goes: You are not loved because you are valuable;you are valuable because you are loved. God does not love you because you are valuable.God does not love you because you finally chose to love Him.God does not love you because you are smart, perfect, funny, go...  Read More

When my girls were little, we would go to fairs, amusements parks, Disneyland and the like. Without a doubt they would see something (a balloon, glow bracelets, cotton candy), and they would ask us to buy it. Most of the times, knowing how soft I am, I would buy it for them. Sometimes I would not purchase what they wanted. Cotton candy for breakfast is not a good idea. However, I am SO glad they asked. It would break my heart if they felt they could not ask me for anything.  Read More

As I write this blog I have been made aware that it has been 100 days since our state was given the instructions to “stay home”. 100 DAYS!!! I’m sure the question on all of our minds is “How Long?” How long Lord? How long will this pandemic last? How long until a vaccine is found? How long until the country, city, and church reopens?   Read More

James says that if we can LOVE our neighbor, we are doing WELL. But, what does that look like? Our Mission at Grace of Christ is “Making Disciples Who Love Well With Drops of Grace. Drops of Grace are those things we do in order to show and share and reflect the love of Christ...  Read More

We were taught as children: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” So not true. Words have hurt me. Even more so, I learned how I could hurt somebody else with my words. Later in life I also learned spoken words cannot be taken back - it’s like trying to put toothpaste back into the tube. However, damaging words are not merely spoken or written down these days. They can be put out on the internet for everyone in the world to see.  Read More

“But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” Habakkuk 2.20. I dare you. I double-dog care you. Go ahead. Try spending five minutes in silence. Right now. Go ahead. Stop reading, and just sit in silence for 5 MINUTES. Sounds easy? Give it a try. Did you make it?  Read More

I was reminded recently of how important it is to have a heart of thanksgiving. As humans we tend to focus on the negative. Many people may receive 10 positive compliments, and one negative comment. More than likely they will be consumed with the negative comment. Thus begins a downward spiral. They begin to pile on to that one negative comment with all of their own negative thoughts about themselves: past shortcomings, weaknesses, imperfections, plus all of their personal negative aspects they believe everyone else knows as well.  Read More

It was not intended to be another law to follow. I believe the Sabbath is to be a way to help us develop a routine, or a sacred rhythm in which we continually make room and time to be in the presence of God. Part of the problem for me is that my daily, weekly, and even monthly routines has been thrown out the window. I was hoping to develop a “new routine”. That’s not happening. Each day is different. Each week is different.  Read More

It’s been said, “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.” Or, perhaps, “You don’t appreciate what you have until it’s gone.” It’s the idea that we often take for granted the things we have until we need them and can’t have them (i.e. toilet paper).   Read More

For too long we have perhaps lived in the tomb – comfortable with the darkness of our lives and the complacency of our faith. We have been going through the motions, without knowing it, yet even the motions have become laborious and lifeless. God is doing something new, even now, even before we come fully out of this pandemic.  Read More

Most people did not know how busy and tired and exhausted they were until they were forced to stay at home due to COVID-19. The abundant life Jesus came to give us, is not the life we always embrace. The enemy convinces us that we need to be busy. As Christians there can be a driving need to busy ourselves by “doing” what all good Christians are supposed to “do”. No wonder Jesus said,...  Read More

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43.19)I am sure you have read, heard, studied that verse countless times.  It’s one of my favorite verses.  However, the times we are in right now gives me a new perspective. I like “new things”.  I also like “old things”.  I remember getting a brand...  Read More

When I looked at my calendar this past Monday, I noticed that it said: “Easter Monday”. I guess I hadn’t really paid attention before, or was unaware of the fact that there was such a thing. As I investigated it, I discovered that many Christians, particularly in Canada and Australia, celebrate Easter Monday as a day of rest. (After all that goes into putting together our Easter service last week, and every other service during this time, I’m sure my staff would like to celebrate Easter Monday every Monday)  Read More

“Above all else, guard your heart, from everything you do flows from it.”Proverbs 4.23 How is your heart? I am asking that question of most people these days.  Actually, I am asking, “How is your heart, soul, mind and body”?  I really want to know.  During these turbulent times, it is important for us to pay attention to how we are responding to all that is going on around us.  We are all directly and indirectly i...  Read More

““Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.” Matthew 6.25 Several weeks ago that verse may not have meant much to any of us. But, oh how things have changed. For many of us there was no need to be anxious about life, particularly what we would eat or drink. Most people were not concerned about their health. EMPTY SHELVES IN THE MARKETS INDICATED SOMETHING HAD CHANGED.   Read More

“Be STILL and know that I am God.” Psalm 46.10 Before we were all put on lockdown and shut down to control the spread of the Coronavirus, I had been rediscovering the discipline of solitude and silence.  It’s not that easy to practice.  I am grateful to the reaching and writing of Ruth Haley Barton.  I want to invite you into a time of solitude and silence as well.  It takes time, practice and int...  Read More

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.   (Hebrews 6.19-20) As Pastor at Grace of Christ, I find myself at a loss for words.  Shocking, I know.  So, perhaps let me borrow from a familiar song.  We just l...  Read More