God's Cup of Grace

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Genesis 19:26

Before I started my reading of the Word of God this morning, I was enjoying a mug of Holiday Tea in my new favorite cup.  I received it from my brother and his girlfriend for Christmas this year, and I loved it the moment I laid eyes on it!  Its simple elegance and beautiful symbol of a born again believer's transformed heart and life daily touches my soul.  I can easily relate to the butterfly, and it is my favorite Christian symbol, second only to the cross.  I have always loved butterflies and the color purple, so this was an absolutely perfect gift!

Today, however, through this cup and my Scripture reading, the Lord spoke loudly to my heart.  As I enjoyed my tea and pondered the beauty of God's grace in my my life, so active every moment, and the 'butterfly' state of my spiritual life, I was struck instantly by this convicting thought:

"I am free!  Truly free!  So why do I continually climb back into the confines of my old cocoon and live like a bound worm!?"

As I contemplated the new creation that I have been since the day I recognized my need for a Savior, and how very often I live in my old flesh life, I opened the Word to read Genesis 19.  It was today's reading on a 2-year Bible reading plan.  Once again, God lined up all the pieces of my early morning 'tea thoughts' as my eyes fell upon verse 26.

"But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt."

Conviction filled my heart as I realized how often I do exactly what Lot's wife did.  I look back (and even walk back) to the life from which I have been set free.  It is spiritually painful for me to see  my own actions and reactions in a woman that God turned to salt!

You see, when I have been extended great grace and have been given an opportunity to live a brand new life as a butterfly, and I choose to live even a moment of my life bound up in sin, the very cocoon of my life before Christ and His grace was showered upon me, I am just like Lot's wife.  She too was being saved from the life she had been living, having been given God's grace to for a new and pure life.  And neither of us deserved it.  Her old life called to her and she turned to look back one last time.  Sadly, it cost her her life.

By grace God has saved me and made me a new creation.  Daily I must fly like a butterfly and not return to my worm-like spiritual state.  I have to choose to no longer live in the bondage of my chrysalis of sin.  By grace I have been saved and set free from sin and death.  By grace my sin need no longer bind me or entangle me in its evil web.  

Today I choose to live in the freedom from sin that Christ attained for me on the cross.  Will you?

Another cup of God's grace for me, please . . . 

Choosing The Correct Path

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(Excerpt from Cheryl Gnagey's Spiritual Healing:  The Surrender That Brings Victory, Chapter 12)

As I begin to wind down the message of Spiritual Healing in the next few blogs, much of it will seem familiar to you, at least I pray that it will.  The last chapter of the book is the culmination of the first eleven.  Each blog will have less information, but it is designed to be that way.  Prayerfully absorb the truth, look deeply within so that you can correctly assess your spiritual condition, and then choose the correct course of action that will lead you into the Holy of Holies.

"Are you in the same court [of the Tabernacle] as when you began to read this book [or these blogs on the book], or have you covered some ground on your way into the next court?  Which court is your current address?  Each of the courts can be reached by taking appropriate steps, and sometimes even leaps, in our spiritual lives.  The goal is always to reach the presence of God in the Holy of Holies.  But your arrival there will depend on these two things:

1. You!
2. And the choices you make!

If you never choose to die to yourself and your sinful ways, you will never walk boldly into the Holy of Holies here on earth, for no flesh can reside in His presence.  So to reach that goal, one must die to self.  Do you remember that the placement of everything in the Tabernacle lines up into a cross?  In order for Jesus to secure a way for us to travel through the Tabernacle into the presence of God, He had to sacrifice His life on a sinner's cross.  If we desire to bask in His presence, we must choose to do the same.  He died for our sinfulness, but our sin still is present in us to many varying degrees.  His intimate presence will only be gained when we die to the sin still found in us.  The Old Testament Tabernacle was a prophetic picture of Christ's death.  It was also a prophetic picture of what is required of us now; it shows us how we must die even as Christ had to die."

What will you do with this information?   Did you recognize this as truth and absorb it?  Did you assess your spiritual condition and the sin that still is apparent in your life?  Will you decide to do whatever it takes to die to your flesh and to your daily sin?  These choices are up to you.  Your choices will determine and reveal whether or not you are serious about moving forward in your walk.

THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 27

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Day 27:  The Roman Centurion at the Cross (Mark 15:33-39)

A Roman centurion from early adulthood, he stood guarding the crosses of the three prisoners.  His commander surely trusted him, for the One who hung on the center cross had aroused emotions and grave suspicions of many.  He positioned himself squarely in front of this One whom he heard had claimed to be the Son of God.

All around him he heard the shouts and insults of the crowd.  “If you are the Son of God, come down and save yourself,” they cried, laughing at the accused.  Even the Jewish religious leaders condemned Him, yelling, “You saved others.  If you are the Son of God, come down from that cross and save yourself!” 

He was confused.  Just who was this Man who had been crucified?  How could He look out with such compassion at those who hurled insults at Him?  And why is it that when He looks my direction He seems to see right inside of me and know the very thoughts that I am thinking? 

Then the amazing and frightening began to happen.  From the moment He was nailed to the cross and lifted up, the day turned to night, and for three hours it remained dark.  The centurion could barely make out His face.  And then it seemed to be over.  The Man in the center cried out to someone, devastated for being so forsaken, and He gave up His spirit, and breathed His last.  Finally, this horrible scene could come to an end.

The centurion had not completed his thought when the ground began to shake violently and rocks were crushed.  A little later reports reached Golgotha that the veil in the Jewish temple had been torn from top to bottom.  Terror and fear filled this soldier’s heart.  “Who was this Man that such things are taking place?”  his heart screamed silently. 

Then illumination came to him from heaven above.  The centurion began to praise God, and other soldiers around him joined in.  “Certainly this man was innocent and righteous!  Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Do you believe that Jesus is who He claimed to be?  Do you praise Him daily for the horrific death He died for you?  It is not  to be taken lightly.

THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 26

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Day 26:  The Two Criminals (Luke 23: 32-33, 39-43)

The beatings and the trial were now behind Him, but the cross still loomed ahead of Him.  While Simon of Cyrene carried His cross, the two other convicted criminals carried their own crosses to Calvary.  Yes, death was just a few hours ahead.

Crucifixion was a torturous and horrific way to die.  But Jesus kept His eyes fixed on the goals:  the sacrifice to be made once and for all, salvation that would be available to the whole world, and a chance for all to have a personal and real relationship with the Father, the Spirit to come, and Him.  But He also focused on the glorious moment that He would return to His Father and be Home again.  But what would lie ahead for the two criminals?  What were they thinking about on the way to their deaths?  What did they have to look forward to?

As Jesus and the two men hung from their trees of death, some of the rulers, the commoners and the guards began to hurl insults at Him.  Even one of the criminals joined in.  “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us!” he sneered, laughing an evil laugh.

“How could he say those things?” the other criminal thought.  The sheer audacity of that sinful man!  It just doesn’t make any sense that he would be demanding to be saved from the consequence of his own sin!  How could he so blatantly speak out such evil?  Did he not fear God Almighty?

Finding his voice amidst the pain, he had to speak.  “The punishment we received is just and fair for us.  We did what was unlawful and hang here today because of our disobedience.”  Then looking directly into the eyes of Jesus he said, “But this Man, He has done nothing wrong.  Jesus, please remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”  Seeing into the man’s heart, Jesus answered him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

Are you looking for Jesus to save you out of the circumstances of your own sinful life, expecting Him to change them?  Or are you recognizing your sinfulness, confessing it to Jesus, and letting Him change you?