He Will Send Down His Roots.

As I was drifting off to sleep, I found myself perplexed as to why grace has transformed so much of my life and in other areas the unloviness of sin still seems to have a stronghold in my mind. I know in my gut-- that part of me that 100% trusts that what my Savior did for me is sufficient --but my brain still sees the flesh dominating parts of me.....So this is the image the Holy Spirit put in my mind as I was drifting off to dream.

A heavy monument or tombstone represented the old nature that died in Christ. It's stone cold heavy nature just sitting there as a reminder of who I was...it seems like a mountain in my life but in reality it's just a dead thing that represents my old self. My memory of it is strong. The root of course represents the fullness of grace growing in me daily. I'm going from glory to glory and grace to grace. The root is under the tombstone and in a matter of time it topples over the dead thing.....the law --like two tombstones seemed to dominate my life at a time but grace got in there and eventually toppled them over. This dead stone no longer represents my life. I'm a New Creation in Christ and believe that God's grace will continue to topple over the dead monuments of my past. Dead things cannot control me.

A scripture that encouraged me as well after seeing this grace-filled example of how this process of going from grace to grace works "I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily. Like a cedar of Lebanon he will send down his roots" Hosea 14:5

Be angry and sin not: A law I put myself under Part 1

I'm still learning and unlearning many things when it comes to God's grace. I discovered recently that I had been putting myself under a law I had made especially for myself. In Ephesians 2:6 it says When you are angry do not sin and don't let the sun go down on your wrath. Sounds like a good plan--but I will show you how keeping this law has actually brought sorrow to my life.

I have heard at least a half-dozen sermons or teaching on this subject and they all sound pretty good but NONE of those sermons have ever set me free from behavior that is associated with my anger--my personal sin that came with personal consequences.

I'm really not into comparing sin and I know my anger issue cannot be compared to an others. (some of you might think my anger is sissy stuff compared to your own OR you might be shocked at the unloveliness of sin resulting from my angry feelings). Regardless, I've been negatively affected by the consequences of anger in my life. I have been wondering for several weeks now why God's amazing grace has transformed my life in so many areas, but not in the area of being angry and then followed by sinful behavior.

Over and over this past several weeks I would hear in my spirit "Be angry and then don't allow condemnation...." and I would dissect the scripture in Eph 2:6 and in the original language it was not the word condemnation or really anything to do with condemnation. It was the word SIN but still OVER and OVER I hear: Be angry and then don't allow condemnation..." I know the Holy Spirit was trying to teach me something vital about the anger issue I constantly feel so badly about. So I asked Him to show me where He was going with it. He said, "Allowing condemnation is sin"....again I felt clueless.

I have known the scriptures in the New Testament about anger and unwholesome speech since I was a young child. Eph 2:6 "When you are angry do not sin...." and Eph 4:29 "Do not allow any unwholesome speech proceed from your mouth..." which is usually the result of my being angry. So I'm not ignorant to the scriptures, but I was ignorant to what the actual sin was AFTER the anger was aroused.

Was my behavior continuing because I allowed condemnation to be present after I felt angry? The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ. The death in my case was the condemnation I experienced from guilt and shame about my behavior. The anger was well past but I suffered for hours or days due to my view of myself. The condemnation was the issue NOT the anger.

Be angry and sin not: A law I put myself under Part 2

Part 2

We need a working definition of the word sin because some of us have been taught that sin is immoral behavior. Not really a correct definition although I know it can lead to some very unlovely actions. Sin in the Greek is the word hamartia. This word means to "miss the mark" like in archery where you do not get a bulls-eye with your arrow. Goofy definition, right? But the work hamartia comes from another word that is hamartanō which part of that word is meros. This word meros means to have lost sight of your destiny.

So some of you may now see where I'm going with this. If you were born to royalty, you are considered heir to the throne in that kingdom. Even if you are kidnapped and taken to a foreign land such was the case for the character Shasta in the book A Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis (one of the Narnia series) was taken from his parents and had no idea of his royal destiny. He was still heir to the kingdom but made decisions based on his lack of knowledge which caused him sorrow. So his lack of knowledge led him down a path of doubt and feelings of condemnation. He was not good enough....he was lacking....he was a failure....etc. But he was still an heir to the throne. Nothing Shasta did or didn't do could change that fact.

Sin is forgetting who we really are in Christ. Or one could say that sin is unbelief of what Christ accomplished on our behalf. So when we forget that we are the righteousness of God in Christ we forget our destiny and thus allowing condemnation to be present. We submit to being under the law rather than submitting to God and His way of thinking. Romans 8 tells us that there is NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ and the law of the Spirit of life in Christ has set us free from the law associated with sin and death. Walking by the Spirit means that we realize or are aware of our destiny of being under grace and not under the law. The law was fulfilled by Jesus and we are in Christ Jesus so we are no longer under the law but under grace. Paul said we are saved by grace through faith in what Christ did for us so we have NOTHING to brag about except the grace of God.

The Holy Spirit showed me two examples in my own life to demonstrate that the angry behavior was not resulting in my sorrow but the condemnation I experienced following the behavior.

First example: I had a passionate reaction to my husband putting pressure on me to do something I had no control over. My response is to yell and become verbally abusive. I was angry. The words coming out of my mouth were unlovely and unwholesome. But the sin was the condemnation that followed. For hours I fret over my behavior...I end up with a nasty tension headache and nothing accomplished for the day. So then I feel more condemnation about not being a good wife or mother etc....do you see where this is going? The sin is the lost destiny. I forgot who I am in Christ. I was not believing grace was in control of my life and I was focusing on the behavior of me losing my cool.

Second example: Someone says some hurtful things to me. They said these things from some unresolved pain many years in the past that involved me. The words said to me make me feel angry but I'm not in a position to be able to defend myself. This occasion I do not say anything in anger to this person but feel hurt and shame as a result. As the day progresses begin to feel I deserve the shame and guilt that this person poured upon me. That day I allowed condemnation to progress so far that I ended up in the Emergency Room needing a medication for the worst headache of my life. My blood pressure was so high that they would not allow me to go home until it was under control. Condemnation could have killed me in this case....I was angry and sinned. I believed I was deserving punishment.

Okay, so how is this going to practically help me? I don't want to continue to be angry and fall into sin which is actually the condemnation I feel when I react in an unbecoming manner. I don't want to continue to hurt myself from this behavior. I want to be free. The Good News is the power of God unto salvation for those who believe.....and I believe that Jesus paid the price so I can be set free. But how?

This is how: I stop making a law for myself. I discontinue being the behavior police to myself. Next time I'm angry and say or do something unlovely, I will apologize to whomever is present during my angry outburst (that's just common courtesy) but then I let it go....I don't dwell for even a minute on any condemnation. I will say, "Blessed am I because my sin is not imputed to me....where there is no law there is no transgression....I am righteous because of what Christ accomplished for me.... I am complete in Christ....There is no condemnation for those in Christ who walk after the Spirit..."

But of course I must be convinced of this before the next opportunity for anger to arise happens. I must know in my heart and mind that "as I think so shall I behave..." I'm perfect in the sight of God because of Christ and so I'm no longer thinking of myself as a woman who has rage issues but I'm a woman who is no longer under a law that results in me needing to not let the sun go down on my wrath. If I don't sin when I'm angry or not allow unbelief and condemnation to result from anger THEN there is no missed destiny.

As I think I shall behave....I think I'm no longer under the law that says: When I'm angry do not sin nor let the sun go down my wrath. Now I'm under grace and walking by the Spirit.

Moms Give Us Grace

Okay....I want to post something a little different. I'm going to honor my mom today in my blog. Someone will have to print it out for her since she does not have a computer and doesn't even know what a blog is....but do any of us really know what a blog is supposed to be?

Moms give us grace.

I remember the Christmas that I saw the arms and legs of the dolls you were making for me and my sisters..... you were so disappointed that my Christmas gift was spoiled but you quickly smiled when you heard me ask if you were making an octopus or something..... I just saw the arms and legs. I got to see the pretty dresses and hair you sewed on by hand Christmas morning. You worked hard making those dolls. I still have mine.

I remember the hours and hours you sewed dolls to send me to camp. I had to work hard and make baby-sitting money to go but I never could have reached my goal with out you making dozens of rag dolls and those cute strawberry dolls. I loved seeing the faces of the people when you delivered them. Many children loved those treasured pieces of fabric stitched together and all those arms and legs stuffed with the squishy stuff. You had scraps of material that you made the cutest clothes for the dolls.

I'm sure there were many things that I never thanked you for. I did notice but maybe didn't say so. I do know that for everything that you lacked when you were a girl you tried your best to make it 10 times better for your children. We knew what it meant to have a mother who went the extra mile to help us achieve our goals. Really seriously-- it was a dream come true to travel to Europe for a whole month! You and dad could not afford to send me but you helped me find a way and many, many dolls and other crafts were made to send me there. I have no idea how God gave you the strength to let me go and help me to travel abroad. It was one of those life-altering things.... you understood my heart for music and singing and I'm sure you imagined my face singing on the 20 or more stops that we traveled. I was very proud that you and dad wore the sweaters for many years that I brought home from Norway for you while I was there.

Your generous heart was transfered into my chest. I'm giving and loving and tender-hearted just like my mom. I'm also way too practical but somehow faith rises up and I can look at what seems impossible and get the job accomplished. Oh and I got your passionate, feisty side too which can get me in trouble from time to time. But God's grace covers that too. I got all that from you, Mom. Not by DNA but by a transfer of your heart. Moms are about God's grace and my blog is about God's grace so, it just seems natural to honor you this Mother's Day in my blog.

Happy Every Day Mom!

You Bogeyed the Hole.....but the Game is Not Over!

So you think you blew it! You failed so badly that there is no point of return. You know in retrospect that you should have been heading north when you ended up WAY south of the destiny He had for you! Now you hang your head in shame just wondering how He will get you back on track.

But then you awake one morning and realize that He did something amazing. He took your epic fail and turned it into something for His Glory. He turned the shame into something that you cannot take credit for. The hard work that you did or thought you should do were all just distractions and things to take your eyes off from your relationship with your Heavenly Father. When you fell flat on your face in the mud with piggies eating around you, that's when you cried out and really NEEDED HIS GRACE! And that's when you got it.

When I got saved, I knew it was by grace but somehow when I was growing in the Lord, I got the idea that the process of maturing (called sanctification) was from my own hard work. And if I failed it was because I was out of His will or disobeying. It's true that not following what you know to be from Him can result in sorrow....but many young Christians are just convinced that anything that seems like sorrow is due to them not playing by the rules.

Here are the rules:

1) Your Heavenly Father loves you and knows you are really fragile. He sent Jesus knowing exactly how messed up you would be at this moment of your life.

2) You mess up and cry out for His GRACE and it flows to you....you didn't deserve it. But that's the game. You need GRACE and He gladly, freely gives it.

3) You continue to work for God's favor and good pleasure and you will be spinning your wheels for a very long time...trust me! Grace is undeserved....take advantage of it!

In my favorite Psalm 16 in verse 5 it states:

The Lord is my chosen and assigned portion, my cup; You hold and maintain my lot.

Remember from a previous post I explain about this word lot meaning like in a game of chance. The game has been rigged in your favor!!! You are just getting a taste of Grace and you realize it is so much bigger and better than you have given Him credit for.

God Has Rigged the Game in Your Favor

You bogeyed....you REALLY messed up! I dare you to ask the Father to reveal to you how He has planned to make this situation a neon sign for His glory and grace. The games not over and He has already made you victorious!

Where There is NO LAW there is No Transgression

I've been digging for gold nuggets in the book of Romans. Actually the gold nuggets are laying right on top for me to pick up and enjoy. The abundant life that Jesus spoke of just flows to me so freely now that I understand God's love lavished on me by what Jesus accomplished. I no longer see myself as having to pay back what He so willingly gave. No more trying to be justified by good works but fruit flowing from my life as a bi-product of being in Christ.

Today is Good Friday, the day on the calendar that we celebrate the sacrifice of our Savior Jesus the Messiah. He said, "It is finished." and I choose to believe that He finished the good work on the Cross so that I could live a life of no condemnation and filled with peace and joy. People on this planet are not interested in religion, but they will be drawn to the believers who are joy-filled and understand who they really are IN CHRIST.

For the promise to Abraham or his posterity, that he should inherit the world, did not come through observing the commands of the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.

If it is those clinging to the Law who are to be the heirs, then faith is made futile and empty of all meaning and the promise of God is made void (is annulled and has no power).

For the Law results in wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.

Therefore, inheriting the promise is the outcome of faith and depends entirely on faith, in order that it might be given as an act of grace (unmerited favor), to make it stable and valid and guaranteed to all his descendants--not only to the devotees and supporter of the Law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. (Romans 4:13-16)

After reading this, my mind drifted with a nudge from the Holy Spirit.... I was thinking about the casino. The casino is on the property of the Saginaw/Chippewa Tribe of people. This is a sovereign nation. They have their own laws. I don't know all their laws, but one law is that it is legal to gamble there. If I'm standing on their property and choose to play black jack or poker or any other game of chance then there will be no negative consequences for me --accept that I might go home with less money. I am free to play any game available to me because their law says so.

I step on their property and I experience freedom from the law that would bring wrath upon me in my own country. I might bring with me my emotional or mental hangups about gambling, but the fact is that it is perfectly legal and my guilt or lack of guilt in my mind is of no consequence.

When I step off the property and back into my own country and if I decide to gamble and the authorities find out then there could be legal ramifications for me for breaking the law. The law in my own country says gambling is illegal. I am not free to partake. And feelings of guilt or feelings of freedom in this area really don't matter. If I gamble and get caught then their will be unpleasant consequences.

Same is true in the Spirit. I am now under grace. I am not clinging to the Law for my justification. Paul said in Hebrews 8:13 that the old covenant or the Law is obsolete. Since the Cross, we are under grace. My feelings on this matter my vary but the truth is that the old is gone and the new covenant is now how I am justified. I am not under the Law but under grace because of Jesus.

Jesus paid for my freedom. But sometimes I forget this fact and allow myself to be living under laws that no longer have precedence over me. It's like I forgot what country I live in. I am free but live like I'm under obligation. Jesus paid the price so I can live free but my mind continues to live under condemnation. And somehow when I live like I'm still under the law of sin and death it clings to me as much as I cling to it.

Paul said to strip off the old nature and put on the new. It's like changing clothes in the spirit but we don't do it by our good works but by believing we are re-generated. It's like believing you are dwelling in a place where the law is no longer your master.


Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude],And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph 4:22-24)

A Day of Small Beginnings

I'm thinking back to a day that was more than a decade ago. My small children had been sick. I had been sick. I was out of my normal routine of going to church, serving, praying, Bible meditation....etc.... In my mind I was out of touch with the Father. I was certain that I needed to do some major repenting of my sin.

I awoke on a mid-week morning with fear gripping my heart. I had realized that it had been two whole days and I had not had one single thought toward the Lord. I was feeling like a very bad 'Christian'. I sat up in my bed and said to the Lord, "I'm so sorry...ohhhh.... you must be so disappointed. I'm so ashamed.... I heard in my Spirit come to me in Jesus' Name.

I thought, "Oh good that will help!" It was like a light shining the direction I should go.

Now I always started and ended every prayer I ever spoke with "In the Name of Jesus...." I knew this was vital. I knew this was a key to God hearing me. Well, that was my thinking at the time.

So I scrunched up my face and got in a posture of being very sincere and very humble.... "O God, I come to you now in the Name of Jesus..." Then the Holy Spirit very distinctly and very abruptly spoke, "Yes, you do...." It was not harsh but more straight forward and almost with no emotional tone. It startled me and I opened my scrunched up eyes....

I started over... "Oh Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus..." Same thing, I hear firmly, "Yes, you do...." Again it was not punitive or rebuking-- just a simple statement. I was a little frustrated to be interrupted again....didn't God understand that I had to do my repenting before I was okay with Him again and I could get going on my busy mommy day?

A third time I tried being very holy and persisting in prayer, "Oh most Holy God, I come to you in the Name of Jesus...." YES YOU DO!"

Then in a matter of moments I get a download from Heaven about the heart of the Father. I didn't need to beg God to listen or try to be holy to get HIs attention. It was a 'Day of Small Beginnings' (Zech. 4:10) on an understanding of God's grace. I was so used to doing stuff to try to get God to bless me or at the very least rebuke the devourer from my life that I didn't really know how to come boldly before the Throne of Grace.

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:6

I encourage any of you, to take this small step and know that it's all Jesus and what He accomplished for you and NONE of your good deeds that impress our Heavenly Father. "For it is by grace you have been saved and not works so that none of us can boast." Eph 2

I didn't get off the performance trap that day... but it was the beginning of a journey that has lead to Jesus plus nothing. :)