I remember the first time I saw that quote I said to myself what a great concept!  We usually gripe and complain when things happen to us that we did not expect but sometimes it is good to look at things differently.  I believe that quote is attributed to Dale Carnegie who used it in his 1948 book entitled: How To Stop Worrying and Start Living.  Lemons suggest sourness/tartness or difficulties in life; making lemonade is turning them into something sweeter, positive or desirable.

When things do not turn out as we expected, especially for Christians or Believers we feel as though God has abandoned us; but sometimes we need a different perspective. There is a hymn we used to sing in our churches many years ago it was titled: No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus.  The writer of that song spent most of his life as an itinerant evangelist and gospel songwriter.  The composer says that after returning home from an evangelistic crusade he found a note left by his wife of many years.  The note said she had enough of the evangelistic life and she left him.  The composer said that he became very despondent during the next several years. There were even times when he contemplated suicide.  Yes, there was the terrible despair he experienced because he believed that no one really cared for him any more.  But he said that gradually his spiritual faith was restored and he once again became active in Christian ministry.  Soon he felt compelled to write a song that became a summary of his past tragic experience.  From his broken heart came the words to the hymn:
                               No on ever cared for me like Jesus.
                               There’s no other friend so kind and true. 
                               No one else could take the sin and darkness from me. 
                               O  how much He Cared for me
 
Even in our darkest moments, much like the times we are seeing around us today, God has promised to care for us!
 
In Psalm 22 we see the words spoken by Jesus when HE was on the cross, those same words which many of us have said over the years:
                        "My God, my God…why have You forsaken Me?"
It was the most gut-wrenching cry of loneliness in history, and it came not from a prisoner or a widow or a patient. It came from a hill, from a cross, from the Messiah: "My God, my God," he cried out , "why did you abandon me!"
 
Never have words carried such hurt and anguish. Never has one BEING been so lonely. The despair is darker than the sky. The two who had been one are now two.  Jesus knows your pain and your isolations and He is there with you which means you are not as alone as you might think or feel you are! Keep your focus on Jesus and pray to feel His embrace in your life.
 
Perhaps this story will help you.  After an accident in which she lost her arm, a girl named Jamie refused to go to school or church for an entire year. Finally the young teen thought she could face her peers. In preparation, her mother called her Sunday school teacher and asked that he not call attention to Jamie. The teacher promised, but when he got sick on Sunday morning and had to call a substitute, he forgot to tell the second teacher.  At the conclusion of the lesson that day, which was about inviting friends to church, the substitute led the class in doing the hand motions to the familiar children’s poem:
 
Here’s the church,  Here are the people, Open the door, See all the people.
Jamie’s eyes filled with tears she only had one arm. However, a young boy realized how she might be feeling. He knelt beside her. With one hand apiece, they supported each other, making the church, steeple, and people. Together they illustrated what the real church is all about.

The devil wants you isolated and in despair, But Jesus wants you connected to Him and to His people. You may not see Him, you may not feel Him, but standing right beside you at every moment is your loving Heavenly Father.  He is there He will always be there, Jesus said I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU! I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU!

Jesus is given many titles in the Bible. Perhaps none is as endearing as Emmanuel (God with us). It speaks of his constant, continual presence in our lives. May you be encouraged as you think upon that title.  You may be worn out. You may be beat down. You may be discouraged. You may feel like nothing is going right in your life. You may feel like a failure. But I am here to tell you today: Whether you are on the mountain top or in the valley…you can trust God…He is faithful.

When we look back at the Crucifixion of Jesus. I believe that the betrayal of Judas was worse than the beatings for Jesus.  Yes, there was the desertion of the disciples, the humiliation of the crucifixion, being spit upon, the crown of thorns, the nails in His hands, the mocking, the emotional torment, and even the mental torment. None of these compared to what He was facing at that moment on the Cross.  This was the worst moment of the Crucifixion. Jesus is all alone at this moment in His life. Not even the Father is with Him.  He cries out to God.  That is what we need to do when life is handing us lemons, we need to take it to the Lord in prayer because He knows what that is like.  He loves and cares for us.  Do you believe it?  Trust HIM.  JESUS can turn things around!

We all have favorite verses in the Bible and one of mine is Proverbs 3:5 - 6.
          [5] Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding.
          [6] In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.  (KJV)
 
In the King James Version of the Bible trust is mentioned 134 times!  Did you know that the verses above were written by King Solomon.  However, Solomon wrote more wisely than he lived.  Even though he was blessed with great wisdom, he did not follow God’s plans for marriage.  He had 700 wives and 300 concubines.  You see on the subject of women, Solomon followed what I like to call the Frank Sinatra School of Theology - “I did it my way.”  Unfortunately, we are no different.  We read the Bible.  We pray.  We hear messages preached when we attend church; but we still want to do things our own way.
 
Solomon was a great king.  He wrote 3,000 proverbs.  He wrote 1,005 songs (1 Kings 4:31-32).  Yes, Solomon had been given great wisdom and very great insight and he had a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand of the seashore.  Solomon was a philosopher, a scientist,  he was the one who built the temple under God’s direction.  In fact, that temple was one of the wonders of the world.  He far surpassed the Egyptians who were considered at that time to be the greatest scholars.   Remember, not only was Israel blessed, but so did every nation that took advantage of Solomon’s wisdom.
 
What does it mean to TRUST?  It is basically to have confidence, to believe in the steadfastness of our Lord.  If we really trust the Lord we should not find it difficult to surrender to Him.  I get the picture in my mind of something my children did when they were young.  Have you ever seen a young child jump into their father or grandfather’s arms?  Yes, my children would do that.  They would go up a few steps and yell, “Dad or Pop catch me!”  There would be such joy on their faces.  They trusted.
 
But over the years I have heard people say: I can’t trust God, I can’t trust Jesus.   I don’t see them.  I need something tangible.  That is when I would tell them; you trust that the alarm clock is going to wake you up for work.  You trust that the mechanic properly fixed your brakes on the car when you take it out of the shop. You trust that the workers at your favorite fast food chain washed their hands after their last bathroom break.  What about those of you who have been sick recently; you trusted the Doctor whose name you could not pronounce.  Yes, you saw degrees on the wall but you never actually checked them out.  That Doctor wrote you a prescription you couldn’t read.  Then you took it to a pharmacist you have never met and she/or he gives you a chemical compound and you go home and take those pills according to the instructions on the bottle.  All of this encompasses TRUST.
 
In a world of distrust whom can we trust? 
Solomon tells us about the one and only person we can always trust - He is the Lord, Jesus Christ.  We do not put trust in ourselves, or our abilities, not in our education, not in our money, the only one worth trusting is the Lord.   

Have we given the Lord our entire heart? 
You see, living the Christian life is fairly easy if everything is going our way; but if we add a little stress, a little hardship, a little despair we quickly find ourselves at a fork in the road.  Are we going to rest and trust the Lord or are we going to go our own way?  We must accept that God’s promises are true even when He seems to be so far away.
 
The Apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation while on the barren island of Patmos; it was not Paradise Island.  John Bunyan completed the classic book, Pilgrims Progress while in jail.  Beethoven composed his immortal 9th symphony while totally deaf and Fanny Crosby once remarked that if she had not lost her sight she would never have written all the hymns God gave her; the thousands of hymns in most of our hymn books.
 
We need to recognize, to concede, to confess, to acknowledge who Jesus really is to us.    We need to acknowledge His presence, His power, His purpose and His promises at all times.  Most of the time we don’t want to give up control concerning our spiritual lives.    Let me give you an example.  I lived in New Jersey for most of my life.  Land is so tight that valet parking is provided for hospitals, restaurants, theaters, museums, etc. in the New York and New Jersey areas. To park your car you must hand over your keys to the parking valet and he brings your car to a large parking area or a parking garage which has many levels.  Then he puts the keys to your car on a pegboard and if you look at that pegboard there are hundreds of others keys there also and they all look the same.   And if you watch them drive your car –NASCAR has nothing on them!  You see, we have no trouble handing over our car keys to a valet but we hesitate to hand over our lives to the Lord, the One who died for us, the One who loves us unconditionally. Yes, we fight the Lord but we are the fools for He has the best in mind for us.  But we need to simply place our Faith exclusively in Christ Jesus and what He has done for us at the Cross, which then gives the Holy Spirit room to work in our lives. (Romans 8:1-2 and 11).
 
There’s a song that we sing in church and it is titled: I’m Trusting You, Lord.
                        I’m trusting You, Lord , I’m trusting You
                       You’ve been so faithful, You’ve been so true
                       You never failed me like I failed you
                        I’m trusting You, Lord. I’m trusting You
 
 
Well. are you going to Trust Him or are you going to go it alone?      Choose wisely!

There has never been a time when you were unloved by God.  I know many, many people do not believe that statement, but it is true.  God’s love is perfect, faithful, unconditional, forgiving, all-encompassing, pure, lasting, sacrificial, strong, enduring, refreshing, redeeming, everlasting, lavish, full, inspiring, hope-filled, gracious, and so much more. It’s never based on us, our abilities, or striving to ever be good enough. It’s found in Him, His character, and a huge capacity to give. It knows no boundaries and has no limits. There’s no place too deep that His love can’t reach us still. As the old hymn says:  “He can reach way down to pick us up.”
 
Over the years, He has cared for us, thought about us on a moment-by-moment basis, and never resisted the idea of loving us.  He has been willing to laugh with us, cry with us, and listen to us describe every detail of our lives.  When the world rejects you, God is your constant Friend who accepts you just as you are.   I know many times people see and think of God as an ogre with a heavy hand ready to knock us down but that is not the God of the Bible.
 
The problem we face is not God loving us, but how we love Him.  Do we truly know how to experience the love He has for us?  Can we accept the fact that He loves us unconditionally, and that the plans He has for our lives are ones that overflow with goodness and mercy and grace?  Think about this:  God does not withhold anything in loving us.  He gave everything He had to give when He extended His love to us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  His love is a free gift of grace.  All that we need to do in order to have this love is to accept it, claim it and cling to it.

So how do you perceive God?  Several years ago, a student in seminary class stood to his feet and announced to the professor, "I don't believe in God!" The professor, unraveled, replied, "Describe this God you don't believe in?" After the student had described an unlovely and vengeful God, the professor confessed, "I don't believe in that God either. My God is a God of love."

It is so difficult to describe God’s love. How do you describe a rose to a blind person? How do you describe Handle's Hallelujah Chorus to a deaf person? How do you describe the thrill of down hill skiing to one who has never walked? How do you describe the impeccable, infinite love of God to impure, finite human beings?
One of the most vivid characteristics of God is that He is a God of love. The Psalmist was descriptive in recording the love-nature of God. He stated that he was "abounding in love" (Psalm 103:8 NIV), "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His  love for those who fear Him" (Psalm 103:11 NIV), "As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him" (Psalm 103:13 NIV),  "But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’S love is with those who fear Him (Psalm 103:17).  (The word fear as used here means to respect, to honor and to worship Him!)

The point is not simply that God "loves," but that He is love itself. Love is not merely one of His attributes, but His very nature. The Scripture says, "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. (1 John 4:16 NIV). To say that God is love is not to imply that love is God. God is love means that God wants the very best for you. God has your best interest in mind. He wants to give you good gifts and provide you with "all His benefits" (Psalm 103:2, NIV).

God's love touches every part of our life. Nothing - no calling or circumstance, no adversity or advancement, no pain or promotion, no status or station - escapes the brush strokes of God's love. God's love bleeds into every fabric and fiber of our lives.  The number of times the three-lettered word "all" is used in Psalm 103 reminds us that God's love is all consuming. His love touches every area of our lives. There is nowhere we can go to escape His love. There is no problem that we will encounter that is not touched by His love. There is no advancement that we will make where God is not already there. Even when our world falls apart, we can say, "God, I don't know why this is happening. I don't understand it, but I'm sure glad to know you love me."

The Bible cuts through all the philosophical ideas and declares that God is a Person. As a personal being God is capable of loving and being loved. And as a personal being he loves each one of us intensely and personally. God's love is not simply for mankind as a mass. It is not a sentimental, vague, diffused feeling - something like Charlie Brown's attitude when he says, "I love mankind; it's people I can't stand." God really likes individual people.

When Karl Barth, the famed German theologian, visited the United States, a reporter at a dedication service asked: "Dr. Barth, what is the single most important truth you have learned as a theologian?"  Barth replied, "The most important thing I have learned is this: 'Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.'"

"Jesus loves me" is the central pronouncement of the Christian faith and the cornerstone of the nature of God.  When God says I love you, He is saying that you matter to Him!

You are a person of worth. 

You are valuable to Him.

Regardless of what others think, in His eyes you are wonderful.

Have a Great Day and Remember...God Has Always Loved You!

If I asked a question to those of you who are reading this article how would you answer?  The question is:    

                                How many of you would like to worry more? 

How many would raise your hands?  I am quite sure nobody would want to worry more.  Most of us worry unnecessarily about too many things already.  It is almost as though we search for problems to make ourselves stressed.  The amazing news is that much of what we worry about- does not matter at all.
 
For those of us who call ourselves Christians or Believers you know what?  We also tend to worry and are anxious at times.  What defines us as Christians?  Well, we truly believe that God can redeem us.  We truly believe that God can break the shackles of Satan.  We truly believe that God can take us from hell to heaven.  We truly believe that God can put us into His Kingdom.  We truly believe that God can give us eternal life.  We truly believe that God has control over our lives.  We truly believe that God can make a way when there seems to be no way.  BUT we just don’t think that God can get us through the next couple of days.
 
Now isn’t that pretty ridiculous?  We can believe God for the greater gifts but then we stumble and do not believe Him for the lesser things.  Do you know what that tells me and reveals to me….an embarrassing lack of faith.  Jesus addresses this topic of worry in Matthew 6:25-34.
25 “Therefore I say to you, Take no thought for your life (DO NOT WORRY), what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than meat and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Jesus is telling us that if we are worrying and have anxiety we are showing little faith.  It shows that we are not trusting our Heavenly Father and how He has supplied the needs of His people in the past.  In 1 Peter 5:7 we are told to cast all your care upon Him For He cares for you.  You are His concern.
 
When we worry and are anxious it can become a way of life.  It also gives us a false sense of importance; it is as if we are telling God that by worrying we are somehow making a difference.  Jesus tells us in Matthew- Not To Worry.
 
Another question.  Has all of the worry that you have done throughout your life, changed any situation?  Do you know that the English word “worry” comes from an old German word “wurgen” and it means to strangle or to choke.  The Greek word for worry is “merizo” and it means to divide, to rip or tear apart.  That is exactly what worry does to us it strangles us, it chokes us it can divide us and tear us apart.
 
When we look to Jesus as our Savior and His work on the cross it reconciles us with the peace our hearts long for in the middle of the trials and challenges of this life.  We need to put our trust in the Lord.
 
Let God worry about you, because after all He does care for you.  If you and I know that God is watching out for us we have nothing left to worry about and we can get on with the business of living by the will of God.
 
Choose wisely.

Recently, I was cleaning out a desk drawer and I came across something I had saved from many. many years ago.  This is a great allegory for our times.  An allegory is a story with two levels of meaning.  First, there's the external layer of the story; the characters and plot and all the obvious things that are instantly visible.  Secondly, there's the symbolic level, or the deeper meaning that represents all the things on the surface and what they represent symbolically.  This is a parable of faith and hope.
 
I tried to find out who wrote the article originally and I found out that this article has been circulating the internet for years.  Some claim it as an old French story, others credit it to the great inspirational write J.W.Nouwen,  still others list several other possibilities.  But I believe it is too good to let it not be printed for the times we are living in.  It not only represents birth but it also represents death all in the same article.  So to who ever wrote it, “Thank You.”
 
The title of the article is In A Mother’s Womb

In a mother’s womb were two babies.  One asked the other: “Do you believe in life after delivery?”

The other replied, “Why, of course. There has to be something after delivery. Maybe we are here to prepare ourselves for what we will be later.”

“Nonsense,” said the first. “There is no life after delivery. What kind of life would that be?”

The second said, “I don’t know, but there will be more light than here. Maybe we will walk with our legs and eat from our mouths.  Maybe we will have other senses that we can’t understand now.”

The first replied, “That is absurd! Walking is impossible! And eating with our mouths? Ridiculous! The umbilical cord supplies nutrition and everything we need.   But the umbilical cord is so short. Life after delivery is to be logically excluded.“

The second one insisted, “Well, I think there is something and maybe it’s different than it is here.  Maybe we won’t need this physical cord anymore.”

The first replied, “Nonsense.  And moreover if there is life, then why has no one ever come back from there? Delivery is the end of life, and in the after-delivery there is nothing but darkness and silence and oblivion.  It takes us nowhere.”

“Well, I don’t know,” said the second, “but certainly we will meet mother and she will take care of us.”
The first replied “Mother?!” You actually believe in mother?  That is laughable. If mother exists where is she now?”

The second said, “She is all around us. We are surrounded by her.  We are of her. It is in her that we live. Without her this world would not and could not exist.”

Said the first, “Well I don’t see her, so it’s only logical that she doesn’t exist.”

To which the second replied, “Right, but sometimes, when we are silent you can hear her singing or feel her caressing our world.  You know, I think there’s a real life waiting for us and now we are only preparing for that.”

And so the last days in the womb were filled with deep questioning and fear and finally the moment of birth arrived.  When the twins had passed from their world, they opened their eyes and cried, but what they saw exceeded their fondest dreams.  What they saw was the beautiful eyes of their mother, as they were cradled lovingly in her arms.  They saw the biggest smile of their father.  They were home!!!!

                                                                        #######


We hardly understand the birth process and we hardly understand about life after death. But they are very similar.  Our modern snobbishness, condescension and attitudes of self-importance have infiltrated our churches, our country and the world.  We now worship our own intelligence,  the “we know it all” attitude is now permeating all cultures.  We have been caught in the “snare of the fowler.”  Never have our egos been so big.  Satan has penetrated the church to change it, to change its message, to change its purpose, to distort the gospel and to wear down the saints.   There is nothing new under the sun.  When the first church began Satan put all of these same obstacles in the way; BUT GOD had the church grow.

When you are out and friends begin to speak listen to what they say about birth and life after death.  It will really amaze you.  If we would truly read the Bible and stop fighting God’s will for our lives; if we could just have the faith and humility to break free of our own self-importance we’d see quite plainly that we were made for so much more.

In 1 Corinthians 2:9, scripture says:  But as it is written:  “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Do you really believe in the power of prayer?   I know there are many Believers, many Christians who go out of their way to go to church.  They go out of their way to worship; but they have just a little relationship with the LORD throughout the week. 
 
We all go through difficulties day after day but only when we come to the end of our rope and our strength then we ask for God’s help.  However, we have the power of God at our disposal all the time; twenty-four/seven.  Yet, we attempt to get by on our own strength everyday.
 
Many people believe that it doesn’t really matter whether they pray or not.  They  believe that God’s going to do, what God’s going to do –so why bother?

Today, people regard prayer as a last resort after all of their other efforts have failed; sort of like a “Hail Mary” pass in football.  They throw it up in the air and hope it reaches the desired destination.  Yes, we pray a little but in our heart of hearts we don’t view prayer as making that big an impact on the decisions we make daily.  We do not include our LORD into our lives.  We need to include His presence into our lives so that we can experience His power.
 
Are you aware that through prayer we can impact the world?  We can secure destinies, and effect eternity because there is power in prayer.  I have been in church my entire life.  My dad was a pastor and then I was the pastor of my home church.  I have seen and heard people pray with tears and brokenness and the LORD answered. I have witnessed evil spirits come out of people.  I have seen marriages healed, emotional and spiritual problems resolved; drug addicts and alcoholics lives changed around.  I have seen and heard people pray over our nation and the LORD answered.
 
I Thessalonians 5:17 says Pray without ceasing.  We Christians need to plug into our power source.  We need to plead, to pray to God for this country for this world.  Look at this world, man has tried every which way to solve the problems we face, but the word of God says we must plead for the souls of this world. 
 
Some of you may be saying I can’t go on a mission trip --that’s OK.  Can you get down on your knees and pray?  Someone may tell me they can’t get down on their knees because of pain or age, but you can still pray. You can pray on your knees, you can pray standing up, you can pray flat on your back, you can pray with your face to the ground, you can pray sitting in your favorite chair, you can pray walking around, you can pray lying in bed.   No limitations to the positions for prayer.
 
Either we are going to plead to our Lord or we are going to perish.  It is either Pentecost or it is going to be holocaust.  It is either going to be revival or the wrath of God.  We are to pray to God fervently to pour our whole hearts and our total beings out to God to share with God, both thanksgivings and petitions.
 
Our best example is always JESUS.  Let me remind you when Jesus was on this earth
He was totally dependent upon God not upon the crowds. The crowds could give Jesus nothing,  But God could give Jesus everything. That is why He depended on His Father.   We need to depend on our LORD also.
 
Let me give you an illustration that might help you understand the power of prayer.  Five ministerial students were visiting in London on a hot Sunday in July.  While they were waiting for the doors of the church to open, a man approached and asked them “Gentlemen, would you like to see the heating apparatus of the church?”  They thought, “How weird that this man wants to show us the heating system of the church on a hot day in July.”
 
But, they were curious so they all followed him.  They came to a door.  He quietly opened it and whispered: “There sirs, is our heating apparatus!”  Some seven hundred intercessors were kneeling in prayer, seeking an outpouring of God’s Spirit upon the service which was soon to begin in the Tabernacle.  That unknown guide was Charles Spurgeon the great pastor of the pulpit himself.
 
What is fueling the fire in our churches today in the life of those of us who call ourselves Christians?   Our churches are filled with powerless programs when they should be filled with praying people!

​The title for my blog is Grace Notes.  You may ask why this title? 
 
First, of all, my name is Grace.   I was born on a Tuesday night in 1942 and we had church service on that night. At that time, Dad’s were not allowed in the delivery room when a baby was born.  So,nmy Dad was in church (where else would he be?) and at the time that I was born the congregation was singing the hymn: "Grace, Grace, God’s Grace".  Even though my parents had another name picked out for me, my Dad believed that God had my name picked out and so I was named Grace. 
 
Secondly, I have played the piano since I was 6 years old and there is a phrase “grace note” that is found in music theory.  The character and effect of a grace note is determined by the tempo and style of the music. The idea is to use a grace note to give its main note a little lift. The best grace notes are those that are a half-step or a whole step away from the full melody note.
 
Thirdly, I made a commitment to Christ when I was young and as I grew in the work of the Lord I then understood His Grace and Mercy in my life. 
 
So what does the Grace of God really mean? We speak of it often but it is very difficult to understand.  We are told that it is unmerited favor. That means we did not deserve it but we received it anyhow because of His love! There is nothing we can do to make God love us more.  There is nothing we can do to make God love us less.  It is a mind- boggling thought that the eternal, all- powerful God loves us in spite of who we are…enough to die for us:
 
For scarcely for a Righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God Commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:7-8 KJV).

For those of us who are Christians, who are Believers, God’s Grace brings salvation.  If we had all the wealth of the world we could not pay for one drop of the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  God’s Grace is available to ALL.  There is no class distinction, no culture or creed exemption.  God’s Grace is accessible and obtainable for everyone.

Grace is Chesed in Hebrew which means decency, mercy and the goodness of the Lord.   Grace is Charis in the Greek and it means grace, kindness and life.  Jesus is God's Grace.  Grace is all about what Jesus accomplished when He came to earth.  Grace is putting faith in what Jesus has done.  Grace is choosing to believe in the good news. Grace is putting my trust in what Jesus has done for me on the cross of Calvary.  Grace is not what I do for Him.  Grace is receiving the finished work of Jesus.  Remember we are living the Christian life and serving the Lord by the Grace of God.

Grace is one of the most important subjects in the whole of scripture because it is by God’s Grace that we are saved and it is through Grace; through God’s help, that we are able to continue our Christian journey
 
(Ephesians 2:8-9) For by grace (Goodness of God) are ye Saved through Faith (Faith in Christ); and that not of yourselves (None of this is us); it is the gift of God (Gift speaks of Jesus His Son and His work on the Cross): Not of works (Man cannot earn Salvation), lest any man should boast (No boasting in ourselves only boasting in the Cross).
 
In his book, What’s So Amazing About Grace? Philip Yancey, tells something that happened during a British conference on comparative religions.  The title of the chapter is Lovesick Father.  He tells that there were experts from around the world and they were debating the question:  Was there any belief that was unique to the Christian faith?  They eliminated some topics such as Incarnation, Resurrection but the debate went on for quite a while until C.S. Lewis wandered into the room.  He heard the commotion going on so he asked what his colleagues were discussing.  They asked what is Christianity’s unique contribution among the world religions.  Lewis responded, “Oh, that is easy.  It is grace.”
 
Wow they all agreed that the notion of God’s love coming to us free of charge, no strings attached, seems to go against every instinct of humanity. All the other world religions have strings attached such as: The Buddhist eight-fold path, the Hindu doctrine of karma, the Jewish covenant, the Muslim code of law-each of these offers a way to clear approval.  Only Christianity dares to make God’s love unconditional!
 
In the Bible a man by the name of Nicodemus came to Jesus at night and basically asked Jesus: Who are You that You do these miracles except that God be with You.  Jesus answered and said: Verily, verily I say unto you except a man a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God.   Nicodemus was trying to understand born again but he could only relate to it that he already had a natural birth. Jesus told him yes, that man has a natural birth but man (that includes women) must also have a Spiritual Birth which comes by Faith in Jesus Christ and what He has done for us at the Cross.
 
If you are reading this blog and believe that you have messed up your life so badly then you are reading the right article.  Go to God and tell Him that you have messed up your life.  He already knows it because He has been watching you your entire life and He knows that you have wasted your years and it is time for you to come to yourself have a talk with yourself and the Lord and say “Lord I really need your forgiveness. “ There is not one prayer that saves it is the repentance and faith behind the words that lays hold of salvation.  It is all about repentance and faith.  Get before the Lord and admit that you are a sinner, ask for forgiveness, believe that Jesus died for you on that cross and that Jesus rose from the dead.  Invite Jesus to come into your life and your heart.  Trust and follow Him as your Lord and Savior.

Has anyone noticed that we Americans have become an ungrateful people?  Even though we live in one of the top 11 wealthiest countries in the world; we seem to be hearing and seeing people always complaining and whining.  Even when we do get some things, it is never enough.  Our attitude is, “Well, it’s about time I received something; however, others still have more than me.”  In our culture, we are constantly bombarded with messages that say we MUST get the next newest thing: a car, cell phone, computer and even the next wife or husband.   It is the cause for dissatisfaction among American Christians although we already have more than we need!  This is referred to as an Entitlement Mentality.

As Christians we either believe that everything is from the Lord or it isn’t.  In Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, a stronghold in a day of distress; He cares for those who take refuge in Him.”   Unfortunately, in this world there are many things designed to distract us from the graciousness of God. That means we must learn to cultivate a mindset of looking for God’s goodness in the mess of our lives. Remember that all things are not good. However, God makes all things work to the good for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28).  Don’t be distracted by the things you see and hear on radio, television and newspapers. As Believers we are to set our eyes on the goodness of God in Jesus, this will give us a reason to be grateful!! When we see how gracious God is then gratitude is our natural response!
A grateful attitude doesn’t happen by accident which means it is to be a habit of attitude and action so make it part of your daily routine.  In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 it says: 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Psalm 100 says: Serve the Lord God with gladness. Gladness here means delight, overflowing joy, festivity, mirth or laughter. You can’t serve God with grumbling inactivity.
 
Let me give you an example of what I mean.  German pastor Martin Rinkart served in the walled town of Eilenburg during the horrors of the Thirty Years War from 1618-1648. Eilenburg became an overcrowded refuge for the surrounding area. The fugitives suffered from epidemic and famine. At the beginning of 1637, the year of the Great Pestilence, there were four ministers in Eilenburg. However, one abandoned his post for healthier areas and could not be persuaded to return. Pastor Rinkhart officiated at the funerals of the other two.
 
As the only pastor left, he often conducted funeral services for all those who died- about  5000 in all. In May of that year, his own wife died. By the end of the year, the refugees had to be buried in trenches without services.
 
In the face of overwhelming pressure, constant risk and horrendous conditions, Rinkart never stopped ministering to the people of his city. He gave away nearly everything he owned to the poor and needy, though he could barely clothe and feed his own children. He mortgaged his own future income to provide for his family and his community.
 
After nearly thirty years of ceaseless struggles, it began to look like peace was within reach. Wanting to give his children a song to sing to God in thanks at the dinner table, Rinkart sat down and composed what would become one of the most well known hymns of all time — “Now Thank We All Our God"
 
Yet, while living in a world dominated by death, Rinkart wrote this timeless prayer for his children—a reminder to be grateful to God for all things, at all times:
                    Now thank we all our God With hearts and hands and voices;
                    Who wondrous things hath done, In whom this world rejoices.
                    Who, from our mother’s arms, Hath led us on our way,
                    With countless gifts of love, And still is ours today.

Life is a gift from God to be lived for God. When our mouths are full of thankfulness they can’t be full of grumbling, whining and complaining.

Being ungrateful can be deadly to our spiritual life, for it hurts God and damages our soul. Being ungrateful to Jesus means discounting his salvation and turning away from Him. That’s why the Bible teaches us to carefully examine our hearts. Only by looking to the cross of Christ can we attain God-pleasing thankfulness.

Choose wisely!