GraceMeadow Moments

Lord,

Watch over my brothers and sisters in Christ today. Keep each one in Your Will, following Your ways, being Salt and Light in a broken world. Draw our children and grandchildren closer to You: those who Believe, those who are prodigals, and those who are lost. Break every generational chain that binds them. Give each one freedom in Christ so they can be all they have been created to be for Your Kingdom.

In the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Amen
✝️❤️🙏

One of my spiritual mentors is quick to remind me that worry is sin. Sounds harsh, I suppose, but not really.

The idea is that when we worry, we are not trusting our lives to the One who created us and wants only what is best for us. Surrendering to His Purposes for our lives -- allowing Him to completely "take the wheel" -- can be a challenge, our pride being the greatest obstacle. Scripture calls this being "stiff-necked."

The Czech Republic has the largest population of atheists in all of Europe. When I asked a tour guide why, she replied emphatically, "We don't like being told what to do!" For me that is like saying to a master tour guide.-- an expert who can lead me to all the treasures and wonders of her nation -- "No thank you. I don't want you telling me where to go or what to do so I will just stumble around as best I can. Nevermind that I will most likely get lost at some point or miss many of the wonders and gifts available." Perhaps this is not the best analogy, but hopefully it makes the point.

When we humble ourselves and surrender our lives to Christ, He leads us to the most remarkable treasures. He enables us to run with endurance as we trust that He has laid out a path leading to blessings we could never have imagined.

We can of course choose to run the race of life without Him. He gave us free will. But if you only knew, if you only KNEW what you are missing along the way, you would stop in your tracks right now and ask Jesus Christ to take the wheel.
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Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. Hebrews 12:1

"I come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10

Everything good and godly that we embrace, experience or anticipate, Jesus promises to give in great abundance to those who love Him. The simple joy of a child's laughter or gentle touch of a loved one. The aromatherapy of soup simmering on the stove. The sight of a summer sky. The peace that passes human understanding when we walk hand-in-hand with Him through the storms of life. These are the things that make life truly rich.

Jesus tells us that "the thief comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." The enemy of our souls is the original killjoy. He seeks to rob us of the blessings of life and to destroy anything that is pleasing in God's sight. He wants to divide us from all things pure and holy.

Let's keep our eyes on Jesus during these angry and turbulent times, focusing on the abundance He promises, not the division and hatred that seeks to destroy. Don't let anyone or anything steal your God-given peace or joy, dear brothers and sisters. God is in control.

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Lord, May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in Your sight. May every thought and every utterance seek to unite and not divide. Create in me a clean heart even as the world seeks to sully it. Thank you for the abundance that is ours when we choose You. In Your precious Name we pray. Amen.

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.'" (Malachi 3:10 NIV) This is the only place in all of scripture that God says, "Test me in this." He keeps His promises.