Thoughts of Grace

Good Morning

For unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counsellor,
The mighty God,
The everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

His Name Will Be by Wise Guys and Starry Skies
kathiehillmusic.com

I tried to just link the song, but it is under copyright.

Merry Christmas, Leslie

Grandma Crain’s home July, 2012.
She’s on my mind today.

Good Afternoon,

The Coincidence of Christmas

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.” (Luke 2:1-3).

We know that Joseph and Mary lived in lowly Nazareth, and that they were relatively poor. We also know that the prophets of old foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, which is about 70 miles south of Nazareth. And we know that somehow Joseph and Mary, despite their financial challenges, would need to move to Bethlehem before the child is born.
But there is more to this story than at first meets the eye.
An angel could have appeared to them and said, “It’s time to go.” And a miraculous provision could have been made whereby the trip was rendered effortless. I mean, Elijah’s flaming chariot could have swooped down and whisked them away in seconds. Or, for that matter, the Spirit could have mysteriously transported them like He did with Ezekiel, or with Philip the Evangelist after he baptized the Ethiopian.
But no, it was a donkey ride for a very pregnant Mary.
Furthermore, it was necessary that Bethlehem be very crowded — in fact, over-crowded, so as to insure that there would be no room for them in the Inn; thus leaving them to the one place no one would choose on purpose — a stable behind the Inn, where a manger would serve as the Baby’s bed.
And, mind you, all this had to happen in ways that could not be detected as divine.
So God put it in the heart of Caesar Augustus to issue a decree that all the world be taxed, requiring every man to return to his home town. Thus Joseph, against his better judgment, had to submit to the law of Caesar and make the perilous trip to Bethlehem. Arriving at such an hour that all rooms had been taken — he settles into the stable and unknowingly finds himself at the epicenter of human history.
The Bible tells us that “God works all things after the counsel of His will.” So while Caesar regarded himself as the Emperor of the world, it was the Lord of Heaven and Earth who directed the King’s heart to accomplish His divine will.
When we carefully examine all the extraordinary events that each had to occur in an exact order and with specific timing so that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, in a manger — we cannot but be staggered at how the hand of God worked in all these things.
This was more than mere coincidence — it was the Coincidence of Christmas.
Let me close by asking a question. Is it possible that the hand of God is still working in coincidental ways today, both in our world as well as in our personal lives, in order to bring more and more of Jesus into our daily affairs? And instead of murmuring and complaining about disruptions and inconveniences — might we all be better served by looking for how God’s hand is working, and then start thanking Him for what He is doing?  Rylie

Looking at things differently . . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Buster says ‘Naps’ are on his list of thankfuls.

Good Morning

Psalm 103:1-5
BLESS (AFFECTIONATELY, gratefully praise) the Lord,
O my soul;
and all that is [deepest] within me, bless His holy name!
Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not [one of] all His benefits–
Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities,
Who heals [each one of] all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from the pit and corruption,
Who beautifies, dignifies, and crowns you
with loving-kindness and tender mercy;
Who satisfies your mouth
[your necessity and desire at your personal age and situation]
with good so that your youth, renewed,
is like the eagle’s [strong, overcoming, soaring]!
The Amplified Bible

In Psalm 103, the psalmist urges us to praise God
for all the things He does for us.
And the list is long:

• He forgives our sins and heals our sicknesses (v.3)
• He saves us from the messes we get into (v.4)
• He gives us good gifts (v5)
• He has compassion on us as His children (v15)

One possible cause of feelings of anxiety and lack in our lives is
that we trust in something–ourselves, money, another person–
more than we trust in God.
In times like these,
we need to let the truth sink into our hearts:
God is more than enough.
He lovingly meets our every need.
Step one to living joyfully and thankfully
in His grace is acknowledging His goodness.

from A Daybook of Grace

List His benefits . . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Grapes and Berries are pruned.
New raspberry starts are planted.
Fall clean-up is almost as busy as summer harvest.

Good Morning

Psalm 30:4-5
Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Paul did not take pleasure in infirmities,
He tells us that he was anxious to get rid
of the infirmity that clouded his life.
Bur when he saw that God supplied the grace
he began to love the supply
better than the freedom from infirmity.
He saw that it was better to have darkness
with stars brought out by it,
than all sunshine with no stars;
that the cold winds of winter
are as necessary for the world’s development
as the cheerful warmth of the spring and summer,
that the mantle of snow is as good for the earth
as the mantle of grass and flowers.
Bur for the snow mantle the mantle of flowers might not be.
When a man learns that God’s strength is perfect
through his infirmity, necessities, persecutions, and distresses,
he will by and by begin to welcome them
as an angel sent from heaven to minister to him. A. C. Dixon

Trust the seasons . . . Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Summer Celebration Rose has such a sweet rosey aroma.

Good Afternoon,

Colossians 3:23
And whatsoever ye do,
do it heartily,
as to the Lord,
and not unto men;

“To a man who lives unto God nothing is secular, everything is sacred.

He puts on his workday garment and it is a vestment to him.

He sits down to his meal and it is a sacrament.

He goes forth to his labor, and therein exercises the office of the priesthood. His breath is incense and his life a sacrifice.

He sleeps on the bosom of God, and lives and moves in the divine presence.

To draw a hard and fast line and say, “This is sacred and this is secular,” is, to my mind, diametrically opposed to the teaching of Christ and the spirit of the gospel…

Peter saw a sheet let down from heaven in which were all manner of beasts and four-footed creatures, which he was bidden to kill and eat, and when he refused because they were unclean, he was rebuked by a voice from heaven, saying, “What God hath cleansed that call not thou common” [Acts 10:15; 11:9].

The Lord hath cleansed your houses, he has cleansed your bed chambers, your tables…  He has made the common pots and pans of your kitchens to be as the bowls before the altar –

if you know what you are and live according to your high calling.

You housemaids, you cooks, you nurses, you ploughmen, you housewives, you traders, you sailors, your labor is holy if you serve the Lord Christ in it, by living unto Him as you ought to live.

The sacred has absorbed the secular.”

~ Spurgeon

Everything . . .Today
With my prayers desiring yours, Leslie