grace from God

Come a morning in early spring with birds chirping and trees glistening I think

 back to New Year's eve..........how I wanted 2012 to be the different;
  "My mind was racing before the clock struck 12...... with a twinkle of fear; wondering what was ahead!"
In a world where right seems wrong;   Is there is still a glimmer of HOPE?

I think about my life and the years gone by and how I have wasted.......... valuable time. I look at my youngest who is already 12 savoring the moments because she still enjoys our family time..........while the others scurry and dress seeking pleasure from the world.

I think about the fast pace of this world and wonder why? Why does He drop Grace right out of the sky?

Our life is like a picture book............but only He can see the ending with all our days being the numbered.

In the weeks to come there will be many paths to take.....................and maybe I am crazy to think like this but wouldn't the world spin a little better if we all smiled a little more? What does my face say about me? What does your face say about you?

In a world that is the broken...... His light is still shining through disasters,  turmoil
 hunger.............. through sickness...............and even in death.....if only we could see with spiritual eyes.

The Creator who took on flesh to be with His creation..............to save us from ourselves.
Grace always precedes sin............the Word himself makes sure......grace..........grace..... more than enough for our every need.

And just maybe it is us that has been chosen for such a time as this!

Be careful making friends with the Holy Spirit because He will ask you to die!

It happened when I went to a prayer retreat last October..... the King Himself sat me in front of a dead, barren forest............He was asking me to die! I said I was ready but I haven't yet(died to self).........I can't seem to let go..........to surrender the all of me...............I have continued to give Him only a piece of me.  It's my soul I have held onto the longest.  He sat me in front of the most dead.......... dark place I have ever seen.......It was strange I could actually feel darkness.... coldness..........and he was showing me that the darkness was me and my sins! 
But if you looked close through the darkness in various places were these beautiful green sprouts of life. Although dead and dark new life was beginning to sprout up!

I often wonder when I return in a year........ will it still be cold, dark and barren?

So far I have spent 2012 wanting change that only comes from the inside................longing for transformation...............but continuing to live broken in all the wrong places!

It is true that every spring has new blooms............but what will I find when I return to the picture of my very own soul?  Life has a way of causing you to want to give up sometimes even shaking your fists in the air.........."screaming what are you doing to me?"   Sometimes the road less traveled looks like it is never-ending.

And when I think back to that...... cold.....dark.........barren...place........ it is then that His grace falls right out of the sky and says...."what looks dead may be dormant for a season"............"and what is barren.....may be about to explode with new life".............."and somehow this wild barren me may bloom new life this spring!"

Isaiah 43:19

¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.

 Even wild things bloom............the dark will become light...........and in His will is where we will find our peace!
Hold on..........revival can be messy............it can hurt.........but when we resurface it will be His beauty perfected!

all is well because wild things do bloom,

Robbie


asking for grace please in New York this week with the oldest tween for her 17 birthday present......then on to the beach for a week with 12 tweens for spring break.

Weekends are for clean hearts

For brokenness comes,

for it's what He desires,

a broken spirit,

a broken and contrite heart........

But only He can create a clean heart!

May your weekend kindest friends be one of a call to brokenness!
Allow Him to recall you to Him.............and enable us all to feel our first love!

Lord, High and Holy, meek and lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
   where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
   hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox
   that the way down is the way up,
   that to be low is to be high,
   that the broken heart is the healed heart,
   that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
   that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
   that to have nothing is to possess all,
   that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
   that to give is to receive,
   that the valley is a place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
   and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
     thy life in my death,
     thy joy in my sorrow,
     thy grace in my sin,
     thy riches in my poverty,
     thy glory in my valley................(from the Valley of Vision:  A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions)

Revival is happening.....................God is calling His people.............Time is short!

Death brings life,

and brokenness is the pathway to wholeness!

Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
     Hear my humble cry;
While others Thou art calling,
     Do not pass me by.

Come Lord Jesus,

and purge our hearts

With sacrificial flame;

Let our whole soul an offering be

To our Redeemer's Name...........(Andrew Reed)


"Let your religion be less of a theory................and more of a love affair."(G. K. Chesterton)


all is well within my soul,
Robbie

He loves me.............He loves me not

Time is short......but eternity is long.................so WHY? Am I wasting it?

I have spent most of my life wasting the little bit of time I have here on this earth with moaning and groaning..................resisting the very things God himself is trying to do in me!

Oh I have had my moments.........with JOY,,,,,,,the kind that's only temporary! But what about a deep abiding JOY that is rooted in God Himself?

Don't you want that? I do! Not only do I want it..............it is mandated in the Bible!

1 Thessalonians 5:16

¹⁶ Rejoice always,

Psalm 5:11;

But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

Psalm 100:2
² Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.

The Proverbs 31 woman I used to think; "pipe dreams," but  in reality she knows how to TRUST, how to have FAITH....... She cast her fears upon the Lord.............burdens leave her..........as she lays them at the feet of  her heavenly father who loves her!

The Proverbs 31 woman walks through the trials of this life with dignity....................She laughs in pleasure as she thinks about the future. She is FREE from FEAR!

Romans 8:38-39;

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

There is NOTHING in this Life that can hurt you or defeat you if you are in CHRIST! Think about the verse above........What was Paul really saying?  If we really believe that God LOVES us...........and is for US then who can harm us?

 

Stand on HIS WORD.......the WORD loved us enough to put on flesh..........and die for us!

 

CHOOSE FAITH AND JOY..............not fear!

 

all is well,

Robbie

Reconciliation

Struggling these last few weeks..........Thank you for your grace as I have not been able to blog lately....praying that life will slow a bit!

Reconciliation in Christianity has to do with the relationship between humankind and God

2 Corinthians 5:18-20

¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Hosea 10:12;
     "Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord,
til He comes and rains righteousness on you."

Fallow ground....once plowed, but now lying waste....must be tilled.....(broken-up) with a sharp plow in order to make the soil ready for seed and , ultimately, fruitful and productive.

We have to start by allowing God to "plow up," the hardened ground of our hearts!

The God who has displayed His glory in the past is NO LESS ABLE to turn the HEART of a NATION today than He was a 100 years ago!

Psalm 85:10

¹⁰ Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.


Through this mudane life of mine.......I have participated in my share of misunderstandings and broken friendships.....It's funny how life can get in the way and my natural fleshy self focuses on; "what I want.......what I am feeling.............how I have been hurt.............or how someone has taken advantage of me......I can and do work up a good case of self-pity or even at times casting myself as the victim."
If I could only learn to SURRENDER......I could see through eyes of RECONCILIATION......and me with my self-centered self would be less.........I would be able to see beyond my own circumstances.........I would quit pushing God off of the throne and allow Him to begin healing me.

We all have old wounds from our past that need to be healed and SELF is our enemy. The danger of pride is always with us. 

Romans 3:24-25

King James Version (KJV)

²⁴Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
²⁵Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (RECONCILIATION) through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Lord, remind us that it is not always agitated uprisings and nonstop activity which lead to justice, but that change often comes through the quiet commitment of a small group of people. Help us raise our small body of people to set about quietly becoming the change we want to see in the world. Amen.
(Common Prayer Book)

all is well,
Robbie

Weekends are made for being still

Psalm 46:10;

¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

Just call out His name

The song we sang at Church the Sunday I woke up afraid from what the second born had told me.
 I have only heard stories about people  who have had encounters but this was way to close to home!

I find my grey dress pants for Church and it's all I can do to drag myself out into the cold crisp air.
A whole new exposure for these teens and I am not sure how to rise to it......knowing in my heart that  I am not equipped to handle this not to mention I am scared to death!

I sit in church and I try to breath!
Satan is trying to kill  me and now He is messing with my second born!

Trying to raise 4 teens the best I know how.....wanting to instill values that will sustain.
Praying for the words of my mouth to be found pleasing to the King.............wishing to speak less and seek more.

Last year I had no idea that I would step off the teaching and speaking venue only to start a journey of sharing joy, pain and tears with teens!  Do joy and pain always go together?

I see it when I look at the window of the foggy cold February morning.............how the trees all barren...how naked they seem.
"Eros,"  My word He gave me for 2012.............desire.....longing for.  I want to know Him.....to long for His presence.
But it was me that doubted that I actually heard that word....until I bought a clearance book for two dollars and right there in the introduction was my word;  "Eros."  The Greeks believe that Eros conveyed a passion that involves the whole of a person's character.
I need that kind of passion in order to spend time with Him everyday! To seek His face.......Eros....will mean a wreck less abandonment..........a surrendering......to Jesus Christ!


If we are to be God's hands and feet in the world we need to know Him. To know him we have to Eros (desire) Him!

The second born comes running through the door.................she is hot under breath......she slides down beside me and says I have to tell you something;

Last night at the teen sleep over there was a girl that I didn't know......she is from Florida moving here only a few months ago.......she told us of a ghost that follows her where-ever she goes and claimed it was here with her now at this sleep-over. Funny things started to happen....lights flickered on and off.......there were scratches that appeared on random girls.....and the second born had pictures to prove it.


I swallow hard and try to breath in grace.......I have never had to deal with anything quiet like this. I turn I breath and I say..........."let me be very clear on this.....there is NO such thing as a GHOST!" It is either light or darkness..........it is either an angel or a demon there is NO in between!"

Question: "What does the Bible say about ghosts / hauntings?"

Answer: Is there such a thing as ghosts? The answer to this question depends on what precisely is meant by the term “ghosts.” If the term means “spirit beings,” the answer is a qualified “yes.” If the term means “spirits of people who have died,” the answer is “no.” The Bible makes it abundantly clear that there are spirit beings, both good and evil. But the Bible negates the idea that the spirits of deceased human beings can remain on earth and “haunt” the living.
Hebrews 9:27 declares, “Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” That is what happens to a person’s soul-spirit after death—judgment. The result of this judgment is heaven for the believer (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23) and hell for the unbeliever (Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:22-24). There is no in-between. There is no possibility of remaining on earth in spirit form as a “ghost.” If there are such things as ghosts, according to the Bible, they absolutely cannot be the disembodied spirits of deceased human beings.
The Bible teaches very clearly that there are indeed spirit beings who can connect with and appear in our physical world. The Bible identifies these beings as angels and demons. Angels are spirit beings who are faithful in serving God. Angels are righteous, good, and holy. Demons are fallen angels, angels who rebelled against God. Demons are evil, deceptive, and destructive. According to 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, demons masquerade as “angels of light” and as “servants of righteousness.” Appearing as a “ghost” and impersonating a deceased human being definitely seem to be within the power and abilities that demons possess.

The closest biblical example of a “haunting” is found in Mark 5:1-20. A legion of demons possessed a man and used the man to haunt a graveyard. There were no ghosts involved. It was a case of a normal person being controlled by demons to terrorize the people of that area. Demons only seek to “kill, steal, and destroy” (John 10:10). They will do anything within their power to deceive people, to lead people away from God. This is very likely the explanation of “ghostly” activity today. Whether it is called a ghost, a ghoul, or a poltergeist, if there is genuine evil spiritual activity occurring, it is the work of demons.

What about instances in which “ghosts” act in “positive” ways? What about psychics who claim to summon the deceased and gain true and useful information from them? Again, it is crucial to remember that the goal of demons is to deceive. If the result is that people trust in a psychic instead of God, a demon will be more than willing to reveal true information. Even good and true information, if from a source with evil motives, can be used to mislead, corrupt, and destroy.

Interest in the paranormal is becoming increasingly common. There are individuals and businesses that claim to be “ghost-hunters,” who for a price will rid your home of ghosts. Psychics, séances, tarot cards, and mediums are increasingly considered normal. Human beings are innately aware of the spiritual world. Sadly, instead of seeking the truth about the spirit world by communing with God and studying His Word, many people allow themselves to be led astray by the spirit world. The demons surely laugh at the spiritual mass-deception that exists in the world today.
 (information taken from: got questions.org- the Bible has the answers) 


In a fallen world............empowering our children to slimply call out His Name (Jesus)  when they feel scared or if something doesn't feel right...............teaches them that.....the enemy must flee.


Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,  Philippians 2:9


all of grace,
Robbie

Amazing Love

Eternal Father,

It is amazing love,

that thou hast added the spirit of comfort to teach, comfort, guide,

that thou hast allowed the ministry of angels to wall me round.

All heaven subserves the welfare of the poor worm.

Permit thy unseen servants to be ever active on my behalf,

and to rejoice when grace expands in me.

Suffer them never to rest until my conflict is over,

and I stand victorious on salvation's shore.

Grant that thy proneness to evil,

deadness to good,

resistance to thy Spirit's motions,

may never provoke thee to abandon me.

May my hard heart awake thy pity, not thy wrath,

And if the enemy gets an advantage through my corruption,

let it be that heaven is mightier than hell,

That those for me are greater than those against me.

Arise to my help in richness of covenant blessings,

Keep me feeding in the pastures of thy strengthening WORD,

searching Scripture to find thee there.

If my waywardness is visited with a scourge,

enable me to receive correction meekly,

to bless the reproving hand,

to discern the motive of rebuke,

to respond promptly, and do the first work.

Let all thy fatherly dealings make me a partaker of thy Holiness.

Grant that in every fall I may sink lower on my knees,

and that when I rise (NOT IF I RISE) BUT WHEN I RISE it may be to loftier  heights of devotion.

May my every cross be sanctified,

every loss be gain,

every denial a spiritual advantage,

every dark day a light of the Holy Spirit,

every night of trial a song.

Spiritual Helps:

from the book; "The Valley of Vision," A collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

It's sin desire to have you...........................this is what He told me on my walk with him.............little did I know that it would almost kill me.

Sin is crouching at the door.....It's DESIRE is for YOU, but you must rule over it."

Genesis 4:7

"Desire," (teshuqah)

And it's me that can't seem to find the gratitude these last few weeks when I felt I couldn't take another step.

The enemies attacks have come at me hard.........I have felt alone and scared.

Words have been my biggest weapon...............the tongue that whipped the hard............... the damage that is done. 

We are the broken............from the storms that sometimes make you want to curl up and die.

And it's He that whispers...........Be Still..........but I don't know how anymore.

And it's He that whispers.............."your sins are forgiven."

An OT prophet might declare..........."The Lord also has put away your sin."

Yes He is able..............at the cost of Christ's death on the Cross!

There are things if you try and hold on to you will fall.  Sometimes the letting go of our will is the biggest step towards SURRENDERING!

asking for your grace..........would you pray for me today?
Thank you.

all of grace,

Robbie