Refresh

I'm contemplating buying a new computer.  My current computer has been a good one, but the time has come to upgrade.  I've noticed that I've been having to use that little REFRESH key more often.  I like how it works ~ the computer gets stuck, or freezes up, and by pressing the refresh key --eventually,  the system is revived.   I got to thinking about getting stuck or freezing up in my Christian life.  Where's my REFRESH key?  All believers go through times when all is not well in our spiritual life.  I believe the Bible teaches that once you are saved you are always saved, but because we are human and the nature to sin is still within us, we have the need to be renewed and refreshed.  Our walk may not be as close to God as it once was and we simply need to "get back on track" with the Lord.

Lack of Bible study and prayer, unconfessed sin in your heart, and slackness in church attendance are among the most common reasons why a believer needs refreshing.  It is so simple to say, "I'm going to do better", but as we all know, there is great difficulty in actually doing better.  As much as we may want to, we cannot restore ourselves.  Restoring and refreshing is God's work.   We must, however, place ourselves in a position so that the Lord can restore and refresh our walk with Him.  I've listed three REFRESH KEYS that may be helpful in getting ourselves back on track with the Lord. 

REFRESH KEY #1

 King David experienced a time when his spiritual life needed some refreshing.  Psalm 51 records his pleading to God to restore the fellowship he once had with God the Father.   The first refresh key is for the believer to PRAY.  David poured his heart out to the Lord and confessed his sin.  As I read this psalm I can feel the desperation in his heart.   David was not ashamed to say, "Lord, I really messed up this time, please help me."  David's sin was not a secret to God.  He already knew about it and was patiently waiting for David to confess so He could forgive him.  God promises to treat all of His children the same.  Don't ever be too ashamed to tell God you messed up.

REFRESH KEY #2

The next refresh key is READ YOUR BIBLE.  I know I sound like a broken record because I repeat this in a lot of my posts.  It is because I feel strongly that believers are missing out on so much by not taking time to read God's Word.  There is power in God's Word for the believer; that power is made available to the believer when God's Words are hidden in your heart. 

REFRESH KEY #3

The last refresh key is FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS.  Equally important as prayer and bible reading to refreshing a believer's heart is being with other believers.  Sharing our burdens with others helps to restore and refresh our spiritual life.   Jesus established His church during His earthly ministry so that we could bring honor and glory to Him.  But He also knew that fellowship among believers was vital to the Christian life as a support system.  The worse thing one can do when going through spiritual difficulties is to become slack in church attendance.   In essence you are denying yourself the love and support of fellow believers.  Our pastor and his wife have a 2 year old daughter who calls going to church home.  She walked in church the other day with her mother, saw her best friend and said, "See Mommy, she's home."  Such wisdom in that!  I pray that the church you are a member of is home to you.

These three keys are important to me personally, but perhaps you have others that help you in your daily walk.   I look forward to hearing what keeps you on track with the Lord.

~Blessings,

Pamelyn

Source:  King James Version

God's Grace {God's Perfect and Glorious Character}

 

Over the next few days  I'd like to explore five attributes of God's perfect and glorious character.

God's Word, His Goodness, His Wrath, His Love, His Grace

Today we'll explore GOD'S GRACE

 

 

 

Several years ago I wrote the definitions of three words in the cover of my Bible: 

 

JUSTICE:  getting just what I deserve.

 

MERCY:  NOT getting what I deserve.

 

GRACE:  getting what I do not deserve.

 

For me, writing out those definitions helped distinguish the significance of the three.  To be sure, when it comes to God's judgment, I definitely don't want justice.  I deserve to be condemned for my sins ~ but I rejoice in the fact that instead of justice, God has given me His mercy and His grace.  

 

We often group Grace and Mercy together as meaning practically the same thing.  However, they are two distinct and wonderful things.  Mercy assures me that because I am a child of God, I will not get the eternal separation from God that I deserve.  Grace is the act of God to give me more than I actually deserve.   But, putting them together is like chocolate icing on a brownie!  Wonderful no matter how you slice it ...

 

Webster defines grace this way:  "The exercise of love, kindness, mercy, favor; disposition to benefit or serve another; favor bestowed or privilege conferred. The divine favor toward man; the mercy of God, as distinguished from His justice; also, any benefits His mercy imparts; divine love or pardon; a state of acceptance with God; enjoyment of the divine favor." 

 

It is God's power that enables Him, and Him alone, to bestow grace as He wishes. 

It is God's prerogative to share grace as He wishes.

It is God's pleasure to extend grace to His own.

 

 

Titus 2:11-14, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

 

All people are afforded salvation because of the grace of God.  It is not exclusive to one group, it is extended to all mankind.  Because of the grace of God, we have hope for His appearing in our future.  Without hope grace would mean nothing to a lost and dying world. 

 

Ephesians 2:8-10, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

 

Think of it, grace is a gift to you and me from the Almighty God.  The individual that refuses this gift will doom themselves to eternal separation from the God that loves them.

 

 

 

James 4:6, "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."

 

God's grace comes to us in degrees, according to our needs at the time.  His grace is sufficient for whatever is needed.  There is always an abundance of God's grace.

 

 

 

This brings us to the end of my series on exploring the attributes of God's character.  Thank you for taking the time to visit.  I hope that these attributes have inspired you to study more about the awesome God we serve.

 

Blessings,  Pamelyn

 



 Source:  King James Bible



 

 

 

 



 





 

 

 



God's Love {God's Perfect and Glorious Character}

Over the next few days  I'd like to explore five attributes of God's perfect and glorious character.

God's Word, His Goodness, His Wrath, His Love, His Grace

Today we'll explore GOD'S LOVE

 

Where would I begin to describe a subject as vast as the love of God?  It is impossible for our human minds to comprehend the depths of God's Love for mankind.  He loved us in Creation and He loves us still.  He does not love our sins, but He loves us.   

To me, one of the most descriptive of all hymns is "The Love of God", written by F. M. Lehman.

HERE is some information on this songwriter.  

Take a moment and allow your mind to focus on the words of this hymn. 



 

The Love of God

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

The saints’ and angels’ song.

  

The love of God is greater far

Than tongue or pen can ever tell;

It goes beyond the highest star,

And reaches to the lowest hell;

The guilty pair, bowed down with care,

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled,

And pardoned from his sin.

 

 

When years of time shall pass away,

And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,

When men, who here refuse to pray.

On rocks and hills and mountains call,

God's love so sure, shall still endure,

All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam's race--

The saints' and angels' song.

 

 

The 3rd Stanza has a very interesting history. READ THE STORY HERE

 

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above,

Would drain the ocean dry.

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.



Consider these points about God's Love:
God's Love Began in Heaven
God's Love Brought the Best of Heaven to Us
God's Love Has Prepared Us for Heaven
God's Love Is Preparing Heaven for Us
God's Love Will Bring His Prepared People to the Prepared Place

 

How blessed is the treasure of knowing with a certainty that God's love is present in one's heart!   It has been said, and I believe it, that a person cannot truly love another unless the love of Jesus is in your heart through salvation.  I've felt this very thing.  Before I was saved I had deep affection for family and friends, but it was only after my salvation that I have been able to share the pure love that Jesus bestows on me with others.  There is no greater love for me than the love I know from my Savior and Redeemer.  My prayer is that you too know the love of Jesus in your heart.

 

Reference scriptures

I John 4:7-21

John 3:16

I Corinthians 13:8

II Corinthians 5:1

John 14:1-4

John 10

John 17 

 

Next time we'll explore God's Grace...

 

Blessings, Pamelyn

 

Source:     King James Bible

                   The Love of God, LEHMAN, F.M., 1917

 





 





God's Wrath {God's Perfect and Glorious Character}

Over the next few days  I'd like to explore five attributes of God's perfect and glorious character.

God's Word, His Goodness, His Wrath, His Love, His Grace

Today we'll explore GOD'S WRATH

We cannot study God's perfect and glorious character without taking a moment to explore His wrath and judgment. We define wrath as "violent anger, fury, vengeance and revenge".  However, God's perfect character is never revengeful.  We must never attempt to give God any human characteristics, therefore, His wrath must be defined as "divine displeasure against sin".  It is important for every child of God to know that God's wrath is necessary, it is just and it is righteous.
   

God's wrath is necessary because of sin

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven 

against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, 

who hold the truth in unrighteousness"

Romans 1:18

Sin causes God's wrath to be revealed because it separates a person from God.  God's desire is for His children to serve Him in every way.  Though God is full of grace and mercy, He will not overlook willful disobedience and sinfulness.

God's wrath is just

Almost daily we hear about injustices committed against someone.  With God there is never any injustice.  He is perfect and judges perfectly.  I am so thankful that God is in control!  God never has a temper tantrum ~ He never has a melt-down ~ He never needs a time-out.  

God's wrath is righteous

"For I am the Lord, I change not"  

Malachi 3:6 

God is the standard in all things, including wrath.  He has the right to judge mankind because He is the Creator.  This is God's universe, He does not change.  We must meet His standards, not He ours.  What God called sin in the beginning, He still calls sin today.

"For our God is a consuming fire."
Hebrews 12:29

While we may not like to think about the unpleasantness of God's wrath and judgment, it is vital that we consider it when the temptation to sin arises. To be acquainted with this attribute of God's character will enable us, His children, to warn others.

Next time we'll explore God's Love...

 

Blessings, Pamelyn

Source:  King James Bible



 

God's Goodness {God's Perfect and Glorious Character}

Over the next few days  I'd like to explore five attributes of God's perfect and glorious character.

God's Word, His Goodness, His Wrath, His Love, His Grace

Today we'll explore GOD'S GOODNESS

We like to describe many things as GOOD.  Namely, our family, friends, ....... chocolate, to name a few.   The goodness we enjoy is made possible only because the God of the universe and all creation is good.  The Lord is willing to share goodness with us because of His mercy, grace and long-suffering.  It humbles me to consider that the God of all Creation looks to provide me with all that I  need.  

 

 

 

EVERYTHING GOD CREATED IS GOOD

 

EVERYTHING GOD GIVES IS GOOD

 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
and cometh down from the Father of lights,
with whom is no variableness,
neither shadow of turning." James 1:17 

The only good that we can know is the goodness that comes from God.  God is the only 

source of true good.  He is the only true Teacher of good.  We can experience God's goodness only by placing our complete faith in trust in Him.  The good gifts He gives His children are abundant and never change.   

EVERYTHING GOD DOES IS GOOD

 

Psalm 119:68 "Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes."

Psalm 25:8 "Good and upright is the Lord; therefore will He teach sinners in the way."

Psalm 34:8 "O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him"

Psalm 85:12 "Yea the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase."

What a blessing it is to be able to put our faith and trust in God, knowing that whatever He does for us is for His good and ultimately for our own good. Because of this blessed assurance we should honor and praise the Wonderful and Good God that we serve for all things in our life. We face trials every day and maybe even wonder WHY? is this happening now, at this time in my life. Be assured, God is always in control and He will only do for us what is best -if we are faithful to Him. No one enjoys going through trials and tribulations, however, the light at the end of the tunnel is always JESUS.

God is completely good in His character, nature and actions. 

Next time we'll explore God's Wrath.

 

Blessings, Pamelyn

 

    

Source:  King James Bible