Tag Archives: Mystery of Christ

Questions….

Christ's rest, Christian encouragement, Discouraged Christian, Encouragement for Women, Freedom in Christ, Grace, Hope, Jesus Christ, Love of God, Spiritual Encouragement, Surrender, To Rest in Christ, Trials, Troubles, , , , , , , , , , ,

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Questions…..

We all have them.  I am overwhelmed a bit with some at the moment.  I am reading a Beth Moore Bible Study, THE BELOVED DISCIPLE. It is a great study on all of the disciples, but of course John is the focus.  She presented a statement about what John believed, and I turned around the statements and then asked myself these questions.  

1.) Jesus offers a lot of life~do I take Him up on it?

2.) Jesus sheds a lot of light~do I walk in it?

3.)  Jesus reveals a lot of glory~do I behold it?

4.)  Jesus delivers a lot of truth~do I believe it?

5.)  Jesus shed a lot of blood~do I feel covered by it?

6.)  Jesus lavished a lot of love~do I receive it?

7.)  Jesus is full of everything we could ever need or desire~do I receive it in abundance?

It seems as though when I am experiencing a trial, I experience the abundance.  Can I experience it in the everyday?  Do my choices in the everyday circumstances allow me to receive what He has for me?  Do I choose to believe, even when the simple daily circumstances swirl?

I do believe that the Father hears our hearts.  He hears our desire to know Him more…I am so glad that I don’t have to explain myself to Him.  

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

How grateful I am that He doesn’t care that I have questions…I might not get answers, but I can always ask….

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Be blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*THE BELOVED DISCIPLE by Beth Moore, NIV Bible, google image*

 

Simple Grace

Discouraged Christian, Freedom in Christ, Grace, Hope, Jesus Christ, Spiritual Encouragement, Trials, Troubles, , , , , , , , ,

*This is the same post on my other blog, Teachermomalways.com, but I wanted to share it here as well, thank you for reading today*

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Simple Grace

I must be on a “simple” kick. My last blog was about “simple lessons”. All day today I have thought of the simplicity of God’s grace and how I have complicated it many times in my life.

If someone asked you to explain your faith, could you? What is faith after all? What is grace? Oh, I know all the scriptures. I could send you to them or quote them for you. But if you don’t believe the Bible is the word of God, what good would it do?

My faith is simple. I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and have accepted Him as my Savior. My one and only Savior. I am dependent on Him. I believe in His existence in my life right now, and tomorrow.

I cannot argue in apologetics, I cannot prove He exists. I cannot do anything but tell you about my life and how I have felt Him and seen Him work over and over.

My parents argued over and over in ugly ways and then divorced. I seemed to be right in the middle of them protecting my mom. Even when I was 12 and dealing with those issues, I really felt that “someone” was watching out for me. God was.

I was not sure of my future, and others around me doubting my ability to become anything with the circumstances that I was in…but there were two teachers who believed in me, and guided me and encouraged me. HE used them to love on me at a crucial time in my life. I went on to school and became a teacher myself. He was there.

I married and although I could fill a volume of books on how God was faithful, I will share only a few. After six years of marriage we had children. I had some issues the second time around and could have lost him. We did not. At one point one of them was not moving in the womb. We were close to delivery and I had to make a quick trip to the ER. It was a scary time, but the stubborn child finally moved and was born by c section days later. It was hard.But He was always there..

We lost 12 people to death in four years in the 90’s. I did not think I could survive through many of these deaths. HE was present. HE brought me peace. A supernatural peace that cannot be explained.

We raised our children. Many times while on my knees in prayer…He showed up. His presence was heavy, palatable, felt by me. I cannot explain it. But I know HE was there…

We personally went through the destruction of two homes in individual storms. In one, I felt that I should look at the window and step on the porch. That is when I saw the tornado. Inside, I would have not seen it and since our home was destroyed, we might have been also. The second storm I heard a voice, not audible mind you, but a feeling that I should get under the table. I did and seconds later a tree fell in on our table right where I had been sitting. It destroyed our home. He brought peace to me in a situation that I did not understand, we lost our home..again!!

It hasn’t always turned out the way I thought it should. Sometimes I have been disappointed and even mad. I have plenty of questions. We have had many rough times in our through these last 35 years, but, He never leaves me…even when He has every right to do so. I still trust Him.

I could go on and on. I cannot convince anyone that Jesus is real…anymore than anyone could convince me He isn’t. I am just afraid He has been given a bad rap. He simply has a gift to give. He wants us to have eternal life. He wants to be with us as we walk through this thing called life. He knows we are not perfect. He just wants the best for us. Sometimes we think that it is just a bunch of rules to follow. It is not. Moral codes maybe, but not rules. That is where the grace comes in.

I cannot get good enough, nor do I have to do so. His grace is for me, for us. “God’s riches at Christ’s expense” I have heard it said before. This is true.

I cannot prove He loves me, except for what I believe and what I have felt…..once you are in His presence, you know it is real. And you never want to be out of it. And I am in love with Him.

So that is it. Simple grace. His gift. I can accept it, or not. But I know it is real. It is that simple.

Be Blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

HE’s not playing PeekaBoo!

Freedom in Christ, Jesus Christ, Spiritual Encouragement, To Rest in Christ, Who I am in Christ, , , , , , , , , ,

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PeekaBoo! Nope, God is not Hiding!

Why can’t I hear from God? I never know if it is Him talking to me. He’s a mystery, remember? How do I know His voice?

When my husband calls me on the phone, he does not have to identify himself to me. I recognize his voice immediately. Why? Because I spend time with him. I know his voice, and most of the time, after 34 years of marriage, can figure out what is on his mind! I believe that is how it is with the Father! We spend time with Him and His word and we begin to recognize His voice. He does not play “peekaboo, come find me.” He does not want it to be a mystery. He wants us to know Him.

Romans 16:25-27: “Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith—to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.”

Colossians 1:26-27 “I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people.To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

In the Old Testament, Christ had not been revealed. The mystery of Christ has been made know to us!Now there are certain “mysteries” I believe that are of the Father, because His ways are higher than our ways. But staying hidden away from us is not one of those mysteries. He reveals himself to us through many means. Once we recognize His voice, we see those ways.

Again, if we don’t know who we are in Christ, we won’t recognize His voice. I am going to further reference some of those things we think of ourselves. The more we learn and hide in our heart and choose to believe, the easier it will be to “hear” Him.

God always seems so far away…..I have been brought near God…..“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 2:13

My problems are too trivial for God…I have boldness and confident access to God…“In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” Ephesians 2:13

I am so confused….His peace guards my heart and mind…..“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard you hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

I don’t understand Christ and have no wisdom when it comes to the Bible…..Christ in us is the mystery, wisdom, and our encouragement….“My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God (namely Christ), in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:2-3

I have no power and am constantly defeated and hurt….I have power in Christ and who I am….“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” Colossians 2:9-10

Dear ones, I feel it is of the utmost importance that we learn these things. Once we grasp the truth, we will be able to share our joy with others..even in the midst of these swirling circumstances of life. And, we will not have to solve a mystery…no peekaboo. Listen for His voice friends.

Blessings dear ones
IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*Google image*