Grace - A Living Person

The truth of grace is wonderful! But I think it's important we not turn grace into a doctrine. I know it sounds cliche among Christians who have embraced their freedom in Christ, but grace isn't a doctrine it is a person.

Jamie and I were speaking the other day on the phone and she mentioned she didn't want us to make the mistake of turning grace into the next 'it thing' of Christianity like praise & worship music was in the 90's. And then after we've had our dose of grace we move onto the next spiritual adrenaline shot. No, guys. We're not preaching grace. We're preaching Jesus. Who He is, what He has done, the way He feels towards us and His power towards us who believe in Him.

Grace is not the next popular thing to give you a new surge of spiritual energy in your Christian life, guys. Grace is Jesus. When I say grace, I mean Jesus. That's all this grace teaching is. It's Jesus. Grace is what is in His heart. Grace is simply a word to describe the love of Jesus. Unconditional love.

I've noticed Joyce Meyer and everyone seem to be jumping on the grace bandwagon in one form or another. But this isn't just some doctrine to help you in your Christian life! Jesus is the revelation of God's heart which is unconditional love!

- By the way, I am not picking on Joyce Meyer. I think she is great at sharing the truth of God's grace. I in no way intend to put her down. I just meant that I don't want this to become some new doctrine to add to the doctrine file folder so that you can whip it out whenever you need it.

Show Me Love by Robyn

My Beloved

It hasn't really been that long ago really. That is, Since I repented and came to Christ Jesus. I don't like to say "I repented" as in self-effort. A change of mind doesn't come necessarily from willing it to happen...Mine came from God. It was an unhardening of the heart to view Him in a way I hadn't before. New thoughts about Him...Good thoughts. And I fell in love instantly and was drawn in by His beauty. Knowing more about Him was all I cared for. The desire for sin fled away. Devotion to Jesus, my Jesus had been born. I only cared to think of Him.

A lot like when you fall in love as a teenager. You don't want to think about or talk to any person other than the one whom you're in love with. You don't wanna go anywhere or do anything but talk to that person.

I don't want my heart stolen from undivided devotion to my God, my Jesus. Love is the most exciting thing there is. I don't want desires for other things to quench my fascination and devotion.

Sometimes when I open my Bible, I am longing for it to tell me something, but I don't know what. I want it to show me His face.

The first day He set my eyes on Him, sin just became bland and stale. I found the most amazing person. The most amazing and exciting love. A "divine romance". Sometimes I wish I could feel that way all the time. To feel that passion every second. To see His face all the time. Jesus Christ has provided the Way beyond the veil into God's room. I can go in anytime I like. I don't want laziness or passivity to hinder me from simply looking at Him. The knowledge of Him transforms hearts. It's the most exciting and thrilling thing to just focus on Him and to think of Him.

I want my affections constantly to be set on things Godly. Love, holiness, purity. I don't want distractions. I only want Him.

This is no cliche when I quote the Psalm:

"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for You, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because Your steadfast love is better than life."

Renegades of Funk

I've been in a funk lately. A big one that hasn't blown over for a few months. I think the enemy is really trying to mess with my head and cause dissension between me and my brothers and sisters in Christ. He is always seeking to drain you mentally and emotionally and to hinder your faith in what Jesus did for you.

I've come to the realization I do love people who don't understand grace and I want to abound in love and show the grace I have received myself. The devil can easily use our hatred for legalism and try to use it to turn us against our brothers and sisters. We have to be on guard against cynicism and fear which creates bitterness and that breeds dissension with our family in Christ in our minds.

The truth is, I do love being with Christians...There is comfort and familiarity there. But when it comes to hearing them talk about their perceptions and understandings of some things in the Scripture, I would rather not hear it lol. I just want to be with them.

Just because you feel anxious around Christians who don't understand grace doesn't mean you hate them. It just means you need to have a more solid footing on your understanding of grace. You don't hate them or dislike them. You dislike the teaching. Don't let satan use your doubts to create fear of your brothers and sisters in Christ. He is only trying to stir up dissension. No matter what legalism they may say, they cannot separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The enemy is always trying to cause dissension among us Saints of God. By ourselves we are weak, lonely and very susceptible to sin and doubt.

Grace Weirdos

I have noticed there are a lot of 'grace weirdos' among the people who understand the grace of God in truth. I've noticed a lot of people end up twisting grace and get way ahead of truth.

One of the most common things is universalism. They get a revelation of how loving God really is, they take that and run off into myths and heresies like universalism. This heresy is a corruption of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A major corruption. A major lie. "If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed." I didn't say it. The Holy Spirit did. There is a literal hell. There is a literal lake of fire. Don't like it? Neither do I.

There are also others who just sort of go on and on with speculation. I will say this now...I despise speculation. Speculation is just that. Speculation. There is no truth in it. It's all speculation. Call me old fashioned and dogmatic. I don't care.

Watch out for weirdo theology. Grace doesn't mean "anything goes theology". Grace is grounded on truth. Grace and Truth. Grace doesn't mean we think like idiots. It empowers us to be mature and sober minded.

Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You

I love this song! They've been playing it a lot on the radio station I listen to lately.

Matisyahu - King Without A Crown (slower version)

This song is special to me because I listened to it over and over when I first got saved. A few of his other songs I listened to as well.