Today’s Bible Reading:
Exodus 34; John 13; Proverbs 10: Ephesians 3

Imagine hearing God speak to you about Himself.  We have that in the Bible, but Moses had quite a unique experience.  I always make note of what God has to say about Himself-this is how we get to know Him.
“Then the LORD passed by in front of him [Moses] and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin: yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.’”  Moses’ response to God?  “Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship.” (Exodus 34:6-8)

We often hear how the God of the Old Testament is full of wrath, but the God of the New Testament is all about love.  Well here we have God speaking in the Old Testament about who He is and foremost here is His great love and compassion for people.

When I came to my reading in Ephesians this morning there is another man who is bowing before God-Paul.  And Paul wants us to be strengthened with power through the Spirit of God so that Christ may dwell richly in our hearts, so that we being rooted and grounded in God’s great love may be able to comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that we may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

Seems fitting now to close with Paul’s words, “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever.  Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21, NSAB)  From Moses to Paul to we here today; God has remained the same.
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Grace, peace, and mercy,
Debra
 
 
 
 

Today’s Bible Reading:
Exodus 33; John 12; Proverbs 9: Ephesians 2

So many familiar and favorite passages today.  How can I read them and not feel blessed beyond measure.  Amidst them all, two thoughts are coming together in my mind from Ephesians chapter 2.
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”(Eph. 2:4-9)

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)
 
I separated verse 10 on purpose.  I have always liked its thought about being God’s workmanship created for good works.  He has a purpose and a plan of action for me.  I like that.  But this morning I am looking backwards at the passage and see what part of that plan must look like.  Just as I was once dead in my sins, so are all of those who daily cross my path who have not received this marvelous gift of grace.  Do I see them that way?  I am currently reading “Dead Men Walking” after seeing the movie a while back.  Is the phrase, “dead men walking” how I should come to think of the world without Christ?  How would that change my perspective.  In John 12 Jesus tells us that he came into the world not to judge the world but to save it.  How Christlike has my attitude been towards unbelievers-especially the ones who can be so antagonistic?  Loving people the way Christ loves me, the way Christ loved me when I was one of the dead men walking is no easy task; but I did not sign up for easy when by faith I came to Christ. I am praying this morning that God would give me a heart that loves people the way that He does, especially for the ones who can be so hard to love.  That He helps me to see people the way that He does-precious in His sight and worth dying for.  Because to love in this way certainly means there are parts of me that need to be put to death.  Who knows, maybe some of those dead men walking that I meet will see Christ in me and come to know Him as their Lord and Savior and be lifted from death to life-and wouldn’t that be glorious.  
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Grace, peace, and mercy,
Debra
 
 
 
 
 

Today’s Bible Reading:
​Exodus 32; John 11; Proverbs 8: Ephesians 1
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Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is one of my favorites, and the opening chapter has one of my favorite prayers.  This is a prayer, that I wish I remembered to pray more often for myself and others.  So here is my prayer this morning:
Father of Glory, may you give to us a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of You.  May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened, so that we will know what is the hope of our calling in Christ, what are the riches of the glory of our inheritance in Christ Jesus, and what is the surpassing greatness of God’s power toward us who believe.
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Grace, peace, and mercy,
Debra