Just a musing as I study....................

The Hebrew word for mercy is rachuwm. It's meaning is compassion. It is a noun.The Hebrew root word for grace is chanan. It means to stoop down, or bend in kindness to an inferior. It is a verb.
What God's mercy saw, His grace stooped to save.
Mercy is what allowed us access to God. Grace is the mechanism God used to reach to us in our sinful state.
A holy, Spirit God saw us with mercy, and when He could find none to stand in the gap, His own right arm brought salvation. That is the grace of God in action.
Mercy saw us, devised a plan from the foundation of the world.
Grace was a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes, laying in a manger.
Grace was The Christ carrying the cross up Galgotha's hill.
Grace was Christ crucified.
It is My hope of glory.
Mercy peeked behind the veil in the old testament as the high priest would bring the blood from the spotless lamb to sprinkle on the mercy seat, and mercy saw millions of Jews who waited for the glory of God to appear. When Jesus died on the cross, when grace stooped down in kindness to a lost world, mercy ran from behind the veil and was freely given to all who would recieve Him.
Rachuwn saw me, and chanan reached down to save me.

Trust The Delay

Picture this. It’s very early in the morning. My wife and I are sitting on a plane in New Orleans preparing to return home. We’d had a late night so we were exhausted. We settled into our seats and prepared for the 2 hour plane trip. Vicki pulls out her iPad & I pulled out mine and we got as comfortable as you can on an airplane. The plane began to taxi away from the gate and we were on our way. And that was a good thing. Because once we landed, kids, grands,  errands, meetings and chores awaited us.

The plane continued to taxi down the runway, but then it came to a complete stop. Initially we didn’t pay much attention to it because we’d started losing our ability to concentrate on the iPads…our eyes were slowly drifting shut. But after about 10 minutes we realized that we’d been stopped longer than normal.

Right about the time we realized we’d been sitting for a while, the pilot’s voice came over the intercom and informed us that there was a mechanical issue with the plane. We were told that we would have to sit on the runway until the mechanics came to check it out. He jokingly said “thank goodness we caught it while we were still on the ground. We’d hate to get into the high altitudes and expect the mechanics to come up there”.

Eventually the mechanics arrived to the plane, fixed the issue and we were off! We arrived slightly behind schedule, but safe. Thank God.

I  love how God teaches me life lessons in the midst of my ordinary, every-day situations. This was no different.

See, as we waited on the mechanics to check out the plane I was reminded that the same scenario often happens in our lives. We board the “plane” of our dreams, hopes, and goals. We make sure everything is on point…or at least we think everything is on point. We prepare for take-off. But often as we are about to start a new journey, go to the next level, or experience something different, something happens and there is a delay.

I don’t like delays. If I am supposed to leave at 8am, I want to leave at 8am. Not 8:15am, not 9am. I want to leave at 8am.

I don’t like delays.

But I have learned (well. Honestly? I am learning….) to trust the delay. And trusting the delay means having faith in God. Having faith that His plan and will for our lives is so much more strategic and purposeful than we could ever imagine or conjure up!

Unlike the pilot, I find no humor in “middle of the air mechanical problems”, but all jokes aside the pilot preached a mini-sermon to me in that moment.

“Thank goodness we caught it while we were still on the ground. We’d hate to get into the high altitudes and expect the mechanics to come up there”.

Did you catch the mini-sermon? The pilot was talking about a plane…but I heard it for my own life. One of my constant prayers is that my gifts don’t take me anywhere that my character can’t keep me.

As you and I continue to move into new dimensions in every area of our lives, we don’t want to go higher and then crash because our character couldn’t withstand the pressure.

Don’t get me wrong. We never get to a place where we’ve arrived and are free from the need to make character adjustments. But at each new level we must make sure that who we are can withstand the pressures that will inevitably come as we ascend.

So as much as I don’t like delays, I know that the delay may be God’s greatest gift to me.

Just like with the airplane on our trip, the adjustment that needs to be made might be minor. Think about it. We didn’t have to get off the plane and we didn’t have to turn around and go back. We simply had to stop for a minute, fix the problem and then we were able to keep going.

The delay may be the same for you. It doesn’t mean that you stop, walk away and give up on your dreams. It may simply mean that you need to allow your team (your spouse, family, counselor, pastor, etc) to help you fix the problem and then you will be on your way.

Ignoring the delay is dangerous.

Moving forward despite God’s whisper to wait…

Refusing to allow yourself to be surrounded by “mechanics” that can help you address the issue…

Placing your dreams and goals above the bigger picture…

Ignoring the delay is dangerous. So don’t do that. Don’t ignore the delay. Be still. Be quiet. Be open.

Have faith that if God has pushed pause then you should heed the warning and trust the delay.

 “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." - Proverbs 16:9

Well let me tell you..........

Rehoboam was the son of King Solomon. We know that The Word of God tells us that Solomon was an extremely wise man (1 Kings 4:29). People came from all over the world just to see and hear the Wisdom of Solomon. The bible says when Solomon died, his son Rehoboam reigned in his stead. He had just begun his new position of King of Israel when the people of Israel came to him with a request. Rehoboam turned first to the elders who served King Solomon for advice on how to deal with the request. These elders stood before and walked with King Solomon. Theirs was not advice that was easy to swallow, it was not advice that seemed.........kingly. It was advice that told the most pwerful man in the kingdom to be humble, to lead gently.

These men had witnessed firsthand the wisdom of God flow through Rehoboam’s father, King Solomon. They had been eyewitnesses to the ways that wisdom could bring peace and prosperity to a King, a Kingdom and a Nation. So, what did the son of Solomon do? He turned to the young men that he grew up with, his fellow classmates, if you will. Rehoboam decided to seek advice fromhis peers. He decided afeter hearing their advice to take the advice of those who had no experience in the arena that he was needing counsel from. And the young men gave him advice that was prideful and full of arrogance.

After hearing the advice of both parties, Rehoboam decided to follow what his peers suggested. Rehoboam need only make one decision to unite the kingdom that his father had so ably ruled over.  One decision could make hima king that all Israel could follow and trust. The decision ultimately was his alone to make. And that one decision divided his kingdom. It was truly costly to him and the entire nation.

Every day we are ALL MAKING DECISIONS. Some we know the right answers to. And yet, some we have to discover the right answers for. There are some principles we can apply to assist us in making the right decisions in our lives. 
First, look to The Word of God and see what God says about the issues and decisions of your life.
Second, pray and ask God to give you wisdom to know the correct ways to go.
Lastly, then seek Godly counsel. Talk to those who have walked with God and have been where you have been or are going, people who have sat in the counsel of God and have proven His Ways. Then match what they say with what The Word says. Correct advice will always go with what God says to do. I have found there are two ways to learn things, by experience or by someone teaching you. Teaching you is quicker and saves you from difficulty and problems. Don’t be like Rehoboam and seek out the WRONG PEOPLE for answers. Remember, God is Who gave all that Wisdom to Solomon. Just ask and seek Him and He will ADVISE YOU!

True Marks Of A Powerful Witness

There is no greater impediment to the progress of the gospel than Christians who live hypocritical lives. The world can sympathize and be forgiving when it comes to the errors which we sometimes succumb to because of our humanity. After all, we all make mistakes. Yet, what the world cannot tolerate is preaching from a person who has no credibility because of a lifestyle that goes directly against the message preached.

God has ordained things to work so that the lost see Jesus Christ and believe His testimony to be credible when we live our lives as if Christ is truly alive and at work in our hearts. So then, if we claim to be Christians and yet fail to let Christ rule in our hearts, we blind people from seeing Him. Our testimony is a very serious matter because it is a powerful influence in pointing someone toward or away from Jesus Christ and salvation.

The Bible gives us several identifying marks which all Christians should possess and live out. The first is love. John 13:34-35 says, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." We must love all people, even those who irritate us to no end, who curse our God, and those who would like nothing more than to see us suffer. No matter what, we must be kindhearted and care for the well-being of others, even ahead of our own well being at times.

In a world devoted to self-seeking and where love has grown cold, this surely makes believers stand out.

A second identifying mark is unity. John 17:21 says, "That they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me." If the world can see a unified family, a unified church, or a unified body of believers, then they we can have hope that they can believe that Jesus Christ is indeed the Messiah sent from God to redeem the world from its sin.

The world understands division, destruction, and an "every man for himself" mentality. But to see a group of people live with kindness and gentleness toward one another,  even when they have nothing to gain from doing so, that friends, is a sign from heaven that Jesus Christ is indwelling in these people.

A third mark is holiness. Hebrews 12:14 says, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord."

A consistent and God-honoring lifestyle is necessary for true love to be manifested, to be seen, and to accomplish its powerful witnessing work. If we live like the world, how can the world see Jesus in us? We must obey Romans 12:9 which says, "Let love be without hypocrisy."

A fourth mark is good works. Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Christians might have love in their hearts and be walking in obedience, but if they are not putting their love into action, the world is not getting a chance to see Christ. A precious old saint of God once told me that Jesus clarified discipleship plainly in John 13:35 when he said, "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." The tiny word "to" changes everything for the believer. Believers realize it is not enough to have love "for" someone. Jesus is only glorified when we transfer that love from us "to" the person in need.

When love is acted out in good works toward others, the world can see and praise God in heaven. The church should be known for its pure and undefiled religion, going to those in need and seeking to meet their needs (James 1:27).

Finally, a fifth mark is our hope. 1 Peter 3:15 says, "But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence."

The world should be able to see the hope which we have no matter what circumstances we face to the extent that it makes them ask us how we could have such a hope despite what is going on in our lives or around us. Whether things are good or bad, it should be obvious to all that we still believe that God loves us and that God is on the throne.

As we live out these identifying marks, the world will have to take notice. Regardless of the situations we face, it is by God's design that the gospel is advanced through His people, and therefore His people must provide evidence to the message preached by how they live their lives. Jesus Christ needs to shine brightly through us every day from today forward for the sake of the testimony of our Savior.

We will bear marks  of Christianity, but come to think of it, Jesus bore marks. He bore them for our forgiveness. He bore marks to redeem us and bring us to a place where the world can see Him in us. His marks were painful, His marks were marks that we should have born. And yet, we can bear the marks of salvation, the marks of servitude, the marks of Christianity and through our marks His are not in vain.