Growing in Grace

Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing. -Proverbs 20:4 (NIV) Diligence and timeliness. . . There is a time to plant, and a time to reap;. . .  A time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance, . . . A time to gain, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to throw away; . . . A time to keep silence, and a time to speak. -Ecclesiastes 3:2-4, 6-7 (NKJV) Photo Credit The important lesson for us is not to let the opportunity to do the right and important thing pass by. There are certain moments that just don't come again. In planting a crop, if you don't plow, you can't plant the seeds. If you don't plan, nothing will grow. This applies to every area of our lives. It applies to relationships. We need to invest in them. It applies to being faithful in the small things you are responsible for. Parents, this applies to paying attention to th

Glory Days Joshua 3 Do you question your place in God's family? Is it safe to unpack your bags? God answered this question at the cross. When Jesus died, He declared for all who believe, "This child is my child. My covenant will never change." Promised Land people believe this. They place their trust in the finished work of Christ. The followers of Joshua looked to the Jordan River to convince them of God's presence. The Jordan was swelled to a mile in width with turbulent waters at the time the people were commanded to cross. After three days of camping at the edge of the river, God told the people to follow the ark of the covenant. As soon as the priest's feet touched the water, the rushing water stopped 30 miles up river. All the people of Israel were able to cross over on dry ground. Joshua had told them, "By this (crossing) you shall know that the living God is among you" (Joshua 3:10). Photo Credit For Joshua's people, assurance

Glory Days Joshua 2 God makes music out of riffraff. Joshua sent two spies to view the land, especially Jericho (Joshua 2:1). The spies entered the city and met Rahab the harlot. Rahab's profession is not kept a secret from us. It is mentioned five out of eight times she appears in Scripture. Rahab hid the spies and the king sent soldiers to get them. She lied and told the soldiers they had just missed them. Rahab believed God had given the Hebrews their land. The people of Jericho had heard what God had done and were scared. She confessed belief in God (Joshua 2:9-11) Photo Credit The Promised Land is not for a chosen few. We've all sinned and fallen short of God's glory. God does have a place for the Rahab's of the world. Like Rahab, we can all experience God's grace. Our stories become "I was. . . but now. . ." Rahab tied a scarlet cord in her window just as the spies told her to. She gathered her family and they waited. Because of Rahab

Glory Days Chapter 3 Joshua 1:7-18 God's command to Joshua was to read the Word of God. The Bible is the most important tool in our spiritual growth. 2 Timothy 3:14-16 tells us the Bible exists to make us "wise for salvation through faith" (v. 15). How do we know the Bible is inspired by God? 1) It is remarkable in composition: It was composed over 16 centuries by 40 authors in three different languages, yet still singular in theme. This shows one mind and one designer. 2) It is remarkable in durability: It is the most published book. It has been translated into 1,200 languages. It has outlived its opponents. 3) It is remarkable in prophecy: There are more than 300 fulfilled prophecies about Christ written at least 400 years before he was born. Does the Bible make a difference? Only when you let the truth of Scripture be the authority in your life can you know whether it works. Scripture mixed with obedience brings positive results. Photo Credit Glory

Glory Days Chapter 2 Joshua 1:1-6 In Joshua 1:1-6 we read about the death of Moses and the leadership of God's people was given to Joshua. Moses may be dead, but God is alive. The leader has passed, but the Leader lives on. Joshua had reasons to say "I can't" to God's assignment: 1) Moses was gone. 2) The people were inexperienced. 3) The Canaanites were ruthless But God gave Joshua reasons for faith: "Arise, go over the Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them" (Joshua 1:2). Joshua wasn't sent to take the land, but to receive the land God had taken for him. Joshua received his inheritance. Have you received yours? If you have given your heart to Christ, God has given Canaan to you. He "has blessed (you) with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly palaces in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). Conversion is more than the removal of sin. It is a deposit of power. (2 Corinthians 5:17, Hebrews 13:21,

Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established. -Proverbs 16:3 (NKJV) This proverb gives us a wonderful way to live. First step: "Commit your works." To commit means "to hand over, to trust." Our works are our activities, our occupations, what we make, what we do, and even what we own. Sometimes we feel the weight of the world is on our shoulders, and we are constantly in a precarious balancing act. We need to do what I call the "divine shift." We need to roll it off our shoulders and roll it ontof his powerful shoulders. This includes responsibility for our spouse, or lack of spouse, our kids, our finances, our to-do lists, our work, our ministries, everything. We need a mental picture o placing everything entirely into his hands and sensing a great overwhelming load come off our hears. The second part of our proverb is a promise. "Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established." When we f

Photo Credit Wisdom's instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honor . -Proverbs 15:33 (NIV) The fear of the Lord is often mentioned in the Proverbs as the pathway to wisdom. Many think it's to be afraid of God. But nothing could be further from the truth. God loves us. The reason that God hates sin and wants to keep us from it is that it's bad. God knows that sin is not only bad but bad for us. A proper concept of "the fear of the Lord" is reverence and respect. It is a complete trust and confidence that God's commandments and will for us are to set us free and to keep us safe and bless us. It is basically saying, "God, you are right in all your ways, and, therefore, it's only right and good to completely submit to your living authority in every facet of our lives." When we choose to view every situation with that perspective, God will give us wisdom for the moment. Really, becoming a woman of wisdom is just the sum tot

Following our women's retreat, I read Max Lucado's book "Glory Days" which our speaker, Gail Mays, had mentioned. It really enhanced what was shared at the retreat. I'll share some of the highlights I gleaned from each chapter. Photo Credit Glory Days Chapter 1 The Israelites had a three-part pilgrimage. The first part of their journey found them fleeing Egypt where they had been slaves to Pharaoh. The Israelites then spent forty years wandering in the wilderness as slaves to fear. They had refused to take the land that God had promised them out of fear of the inhabitants. The final leg of their pilgrimage was into Canaan, the Promised Land, as people of the promise. We can parallel our own lives with that of the Israelites. Our Egypt days were the days we spent prior to salvation. We were slaves to sin. Anytime we find ourselves in the wilderness, we are there as a result of living a defeated Christian life. But our final destiny is also Canaan, the Pr

A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls. -Proverbs 25:28 (NLT) Self control protects you just like a tall stone wall encircling an ancient city. It can protect you from saying the wrong thing. It can prevent you from doing something you'll regret later. Like all godly virtues, it can protect and provide for you. Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. (2 Peter 1:6) Self-control is the ability to: -say no to things that are harmful to you. -put off things that you want to do but can't - or shouldn't -do right now. -discipline yourself to do the things God tells you to do. "Don't engage mouth before you engage brain." Think - better yet - pray before you speak.