Month: January 2024

Do You Know Where You Are?

On By francesrogersIn CONTENTMENT, GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD1 Comment

Awareness is a rare gift. Some are born with it. Others receive it at a special time in life. To see beyond our own peripheral vision can be a blessing or a curse. Being aware of others’ faults, mistakes, and weaknesses; judging and condemning them is a curse to others and ourselves. It is the gift that the enemy of our souls uses to work an oppressive spirit within us and toward others. This curse keeps us in a state of oppression and sin. We see in others a reflection of ourselves and continue in this state of oppression until we, like the prodigal son “came to himself.”

images

He realized where he was. The gift of awareness enabled him to see his condition, and his surroundings. He saw himself in reality of his sin and rebellion.

But, beyond himself he saw the blessing of forgiveness and reconciliation; he saw the means of returning to the father that loved him.

Awareness is a blessing when we are able to see and confess that we live in a fallen world. John said in John 5:19 “the world lies in the power of the evil one.” We were born into it, with a death certificate in our hands. We grow up in it. We are an integral part of it. And we will die in this state of oppression; of sin and misery, except as we are brought to ourselves; to see where we are and our own condition.

Every Good and Perfect Gift
The awareness that is a blessing enables us to see beyond our own, and others’ failures, to see the giver of this gift from heaven, which comes down from the “Father of lights.” (James 1:17)   Not only are our eyes opened to see where we are in this wilderness, but we see Almighty God, our heavenly Father, ruling and reigning over all things; our shepherd, our keeper, our shield; our God “who supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory.”

desert-streamWe are aware of His presence and power in and through, and over all things. In His covenant with us through His Son, Jesus Christ, we are assured that He will always be with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. These truths lived within us will be a blessing to others.

 “He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure:
for this is all my salvation, and all my desire.
 2 Samuel 23:5

Dear Father, please open our eyes today, to see where we are; to accept the conditions in which you have placed us.  Let us see Christ as you continue to reveal Him to us, in us, and through us.  Make us aware of your presence and power as we live, love, and rejoice in you.  Be a light, life, and blessings to us all.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Image 1
Image 2

Every Good and Perfect Gift

On By francesrogersIn CONTENTMENT, GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, HUMILITY3 Comments

 il_570xN.419352322_i603“Coming down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.”

Wrapped in the gift of life are many other gifts that we ordinarily take for granted. If we think only of what we can hold in our hands we miss the best gifts.

Blessings of the Father came this morning with the realization that I can still breathe, hear, and see, taste and smell, reach out and touch, and experience a touch from something and someone else.

These are good gifts in themselves, needed for this life. Every gift is from God our creator. They all come as a package. With these gifts come other gifts that He has prepared for those who love Him; and these are the perfect gifts, needed for another life, a life that is eternal.

The gifts the heavenly Father gives to His children are irrevocable and non-returnable. They come within a covenant that describes the gifts and with instructions for how to use them. These are the precious and perfect gifts that are treasured now and always. We live in awe of His giving such gifts to the children of men; and to us personally.

In his book Heaven Opened ~ The Riches of God’s Covenant, Richard Alleine speaks of a covenant of grace beyond what man can imagine, one that only God, the Father, can reveal. These include God’s giving us Himself, Christ, His Holy Spirit. His kingdom, the earth, the angels of light, with all the means of salvation and much more.

The Father who knew us before the foundation of the world, created us to be noble vessels, earthen vessels that would receive His gifts graciously, reverently, spontaneously, and thankfully; and use them accordingly.

The Greatest Gift
The greatest gift to all mankind is love. This is the gift we desire from others, also. Everybody loves something. In order to know what and how to love we need other gifts, especially the gift of wisdom that James speaks of in the first chapter of his letter. God gave the ordinary good gifts to be used in experiencing a relationship with Him and others. With the gift of His wisdom our senses are trained, as He wants them to be used.

Solomon in Proverbs 1:7 said that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of God is also a perfect gift from above, coming down from the Father of lights. Light is a gift. It was the first gift, spoken by God at the beginning of creation. He is the father of all light, both physical and spiritual. Revelation of Himself comes with this light, so that in awe and fear we hear His voice, see Him, and know Him as God Almighty, the creator and sustainer of the universe. In our encounter with this spiritual light there is a judgment of our condition as a sinner before Him. This light is revealed as Jesus Christ, His Son, and by the gift of His Holy Spirit we are drawn to Him. In this instance we are given the gifts of a new heart and a new spirit. These are His means of communicating this new life with the fear and wisdom that we need.

By the gift of His grace, and in His kindness and goodness, He instills the gift of faith in the new heart and brings us in repentance to receive the gifts of justification, righteousness, forgiveness, redemption, with all the atoning factors of a Father’s love. In our adoption, all other gifts that are ours in Christ are revealed and distributed, as He wants to give. There is nothing lacking for a child of His.

 “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all,
how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
Romans 8:32

The Storehouse of All Gifts
In Jesus Christ, the Son, is the storehouse of all His gifts. He has made Him to be to us and for us all things, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. He is the gift of eternal life to all who receive Him.

“That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love,
to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding
and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Colossians 2:2-3

Throughout this life we have the continual blessing of the gifts that are waiting for us to discover. Every day is a new revelation of His gifts to us in Christ Jesus, our Lord. There is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, temperance, His holiness, His righteousness, His truth, His humility, His fullness, the fullness of His Spirit, the fullness of Christ, who, in us is the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27) and all the heavenly gifts that are prepared for us there.

Dear Father, take these good gifts, the gifts that you have given us, that we may see, hear, and receive the greatest gift of your love in Jesus Christ, your Son, with all the other gifts wrapped in Him. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Image

Grace, Grace, and More Grace!

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GRACE1 Comment

(January 2011  —  My First Post on WordPress 14 years ago)

Dear Reader, please understand that the content of what you see here did not easily make its way to this webpage.  Even before computers came on the scene, technology had been my foe. Our home has been without a television for fourteen years because of my addiction.

Most recently when our PC died we were encouraged to try a Mac, which we now have.  The contention has continued as I have not yet learned how to do what I want to do on it; so much time is spent just trying to use the documents from our PC which are in booklet form.  I do not “love my Mac.” Nevertheless, I am here on January 28, 2011, blogging—something I NEVER wanted to do.  In my thinking, blogging was akin to clogging. (Imagine this 71-year woman with the short skirt on the dance floor.)

Second Childhood ~ New Legacy 

Many years before I ever wanted to use a computer God had drawn me to his Word, The Holy Bible.  Through my study, and prayer, He revealed Himself to me in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ.   Since then I have written hundreds of articles, poems, essays, booklets, and books of the experience of God’s grace in my life, (most writings being relegated to a Posthumous File.) My long-range plans for retirement was to be a simple wife, living a simple life, enjoying my husband and family, attending church without my services being required. All I wanted, as I had learned to wait on God, was for Him to “show me His ways, teach me His paths, lead me in His truth,” for me to do His will as humbly and simply as He would enable me to do.  He had always given me “the will, the zeal, and the skill” to do whatever He wanted me to do.

My union with Christ, not remaining stagnant, but always growing, and my communion with the Father, has been a result of His own working. By His grace, He has brought me to these latter years, and through many trials, rejoicing in Him.  This second childhood I am going through (I must be out of my mind to think that now is a good time to have books published, and to start a blog to be a support  for those who will read them,) needs more than my small bit of dust and time. This will require more wisdom, knowledge, and strength than this frail body is able to muster.

Filled, Fit, Fat, and Flourishing

The new birth in Christ that comes by-way-of the legacy of grace is like a second childhood experience.  The Father’s  inheritance comes through His Son, Jesus Christ~”For it pleased the Father that in Him all fulness dwell.”  (Colossians 1:19)  “And of His fulness have we all received, grace for grace;” (KJV)  “grace upon grace.” (ESV.)

How can we be satisfied with half a legacy? “To whom much is given much is required.” More grace is promised and required for us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 3:18) To “taste of the Lord” is to see and know that “He is good.”  Just a taste will not do.  He promises that as we know and grow we shall be filled with “all the fulness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19)  It is a lifetime process.  A baby does not remain in a crib all his life, but is fed, happy and satisfied; and continues to be fed and to develop physically.  Like so, God, our Father makes us fit—enabling us to live the Christian life—to be “partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; having delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.”  (Colossians 1: 14)

At this age and stage are we to rebel and turn back?  I thought my life was full already.  Are we to sit back and rest on our laurels?  He promises that in old age His “righteous ones shall still bring forth fruit; they shall be fat and flourishing.” (Psalm 92:14)  God’s grace has no limits.  As long as we have breath we are His building, His field, His voice, His hands. Not physically able, nor mentally prepared, my dependence is solely upon the power of His Holy Spirit to work in me what He wants—what He is “exceeding abundantly” able to do in me. It will be more than we can ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)

In the ministry of intercession my prayers continue for the working of His grace in the hearts and lives of His people—“earthen vessels” filled with the treasure of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:7)  As a vessel created and redeemed for His use my heart’s desire is to desire what He desires.

The possibilities for a new ministry through this website are overwhelming.  And having a tendency to be carried away, I ask that you pray for me to stay focused on Christ, who is the center of my life; and not on what I think He can do through me. There is the potential for addiction to this technology as there is to anything else.

Please pray for those whose hearts and hands will help me in this new endeavor to share God’s grace and His glory—for His glory and our joy.

Addicted to His Grace  ~  Fran

Google IMages