Ungrace – What to do about it. (day94/365)

Philip Yancey explains in “What’s so Amazing About Grace?” how ungrace is what we have when there is a shortage of grace.

Ungrace is what causes cracks to fissure open in relationships between you and I, them and us. Left alone, cracks widen making ever increasing chasms of ungrace. The only remedy – the frail rope-bridge of forgiveness.

Yes, forgiveness is the unnatural act of blatant unfairness. It is undeserved and unmerited, but it is the only way to break the cycle of ungrace.

We need to learn to take the initiate to forgive others, to act in faith, to trust God to be a better justice-maker than we are. It is only then we can receive the forgiveness we desire, to live in the stream of grace we desire.

If we fail to forgive, we remain bound to the people we cannot forgive, held in their vise grip. Not to forgive, imprisons us in the past and locks out potential for change.

When we forgive, we are healed. We are released from the stranglehold of guilt. The blame cycle is broken. We start to see that person who hurt and alienated us, as a person who needs us, who belongs to us, a person weak in his needs.

Can we do as God himself does? and ….
Rediscover the humanity of the person who wronged us?
Surrender our right to get even?
Revise our feelings towards others?

Do we not destroy our enemies when we make them our friends?

The Sweet Sound of Grace (day93/365)

The world thirsts for grace. Philip Yancey takes us on a journey to discover this grace in “Whats So Amazing About Grace?”

Could it be that many of our emotional problems are caused by the fact that we fail to understand, receive and live in God’s unconditional grace and forgiveness, and then fail to give out the unconditional that unconditional love, forgiveness and grace to other people.

Grace is a gift that costs everything for the giver and nothing for the recipient. Grace is free of charge, no strings attached, on the house.

The world can build houses, feed the hungry and heal the sick, but one thing it does not do is offer grace.

Grace is Christianity’s best gift to the world. It is here alone (in no other religion) that the beautiful love and forgiveness of our God comes free of charge, with no conditions, no loopholes, no catch, totally on the house.Those pangs of healing, forgiveness and goodness we feel come solely from the grace of God.

Just as Jesus showed grace to many he interacted with, he still today shows us grace. It does not depend on what we have done for God, but rather what God has done for us.

Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more.

And Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less.

God Out of The Box (day92/365)

Today, we finish up reading “Fearless” by Max Lucado.

Fear #13 Fear of God Getting Out of My Box.
Boxes are great for storing cereal, stacking books, but not much good when it comes to explaining people or defining Christ. Some think they can control, manage, or predict what God does. A packaged, portable Jesus may fit well on the shelf, but does nothing for your fears, has no power over cancer cells, corruption, identity theft, stock market crashes, or global calamity. When we let God out of the box, fears of life diminish. As we see God bigger, our courage becomes bigger. Seeing his purity and power inspires confidence.
“They fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” Matthew 17:6-7

Fear does not have to be part of our lives. We can choose courage.

Courage does not panic; it prays.
Courage does not bemoan; it believes.
Courage does not languish; it listens.

Be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven. (Matthew 9:2)
Let not your heart be troubled. (John 14:1)
Don’t be afraid. (Luke 12:7)

A Real God in End Times (day91/365)

Max Lucado addresses some more fears in “Fearless”.

Fear #11 Fear that God is not real.
After Jesus’ death, his disciples were full of fear and doubt. Jesus appeared to them however. He ate with them and had fellowship with them. He taught them scripture. He brought confidence back into their lives.
For modern day people, it is not all that different. Jesus appears to us through other people. We can fellowship, share meals, share scripture knowledge. We can choose to welcome Jesus (through the Holy Spirit). We can experience the reality of his presence. You know, anything you are not familiar with can seem like nonsense, but two billion Christians worldwide will vouch for the fact that once you have experienced the love and peace of Jesus, you will know without a doubt that God is real.
“Why are you frightened” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt?” Luke 24:38

Fear #12 Fear of Global Calamity
End times are described clearly in the Bible. We will experience turmoil and persecution. Wars, tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes, and people claiming to be Christ will all star in end times. We can choose to have courage however. Triumph will be ours. We may be wide-eyed but need not be afraid. When the world appears out of control, it isn’t. God is in control and it will all work out in the end.
“You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.” Matthew 24:6

The Coming Winter, The Coming Death (day90/365)

Max Lucado steps us through two more fears in his book “Fearless”.

Fear #8 Fear of the coming winter.
Fear of not having enough for the future can be overwhelming. But lets put it into perspective. What we have now and what we have in the future belongs to God. He owns it and he shares it with us. We need to learn to trust in God, rather than trusting in stuff. Just like monopoly money, it all goes back in the box when the game is over. We don’t get to take any with us when we depart this life.
“Do not fear little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32.

Fear #9 Fear of life’s final moments.
If you believe that death is the end of everything,what a sad depressing lead up to life’s end you would have. Rather, can you hear the promises of Jesus when he says he has prepared rooms for us in his father’s house. Death is not the end, but the beginning of a new life. Life after death warrants the same hope and excitement a wedding does. We can look forward to a new era, a new home. Jesus experienced a physical and factual resurrection. We will too.
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me…..I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” John 14: 1,3.

Worst Possible Scenario – Violence? (day89/365)

Max Lucado encourages us to face two more fears in his book “Fearless”.

Fear#6 Fear of Worst Case Scenario
What is your worst fear? Public failure, unemployment, betrayal, heights, disease, senility, being trapped, abandoned, forgotten, never marrying. The list could go on. So could our obsessions with these things. Paranoia makes us panic over them. Prudence however helps us prepare and plan. Jesus knew fear. He faced fear. He faced God’s wrath, isolation and physical death. The solution then and now? Pray! Pray on your own. Pray with friends. Put worries into words and disrobe them. They look pretty silly standing there naked. The power is taken from them.
“Jesus plunged into a sinkhole of dreadful agony.” Mark 14:33.

Fear#7 Fear of Violence.
Good people are not exempt from violence, rape, murder. None of us are insulated, but neither do we need to be intimidated. Courage comes not from increased police security, but from enhanced spiritual maturity. “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.” Proverbs 29:25. “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Psalm 118:6. Jesus felt the violence of all mankind. Six hours of brutality, torture, savagery. Jesus took hell’s worst and turned it into hope for us.
“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” Matthew 10:28.

Children and Challenges (day88/365)

We face two more fears today as we take advice from Max Lucado in “Fearless”.

Fear #4 Fear of not protecting my kids.
Somewhere very early on in the parenting process we realise how valuable, precious, vulnerable our children are. It is a fearsome thing to think how important a job it is to raise children. The tip is to take all fears to Christ otherwise we may well take our fears out on the children.We can turn into paranoid prison guards, monitoring every minute, stifling growth and communicating distrust. On the other hand we can be too permissive, allowing our child complete freedom with little discipline. To avoid extremes, pray. We can’t protect them from every threat in life, but we can take them to the source of life. Our children were God’s long before they became ours. They are still God’s. “Don’t be afraid. Just believe,and your daughter will be well.” Luke 8:50.

Fear #5 Fear of Overwhelming challenges.
Pink slips, foreclosures, lawsuits…. there are plenty of challenges, but it is in these storms that Jesus comes to us. The question is, can we keep our eyes on him and get through, or do we allow the challenges to avert our gaze from the lifeline.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Matthew 14:27.

P.E.A.C.E.F.U.L. (day87/365)

Over the next week, we’ll be discovering the 13 fears that Max Lucado talks about in his book “Fearless”.

Fear #1 Fear of not mattering.
Insignificance, nothingness! We go to lengths to be noticed with fashion, to be a part of the in crowd by supporting a sports team, to establish legacies or foundations to immortalise our names. God says these things pass away. He gives significance and meaning to each of our lives. He made us. He loves us. We do matter to God. And that is the main thing that matters!
“So don’t be afraid. You are worth much more than many sparrows”. Matthew 10:31.

Fear#2 Fear of disappointing God.
Aware of a higher power, most of us realise we fall short of His glory. We carry guilt, shame and worry. But why? God’s well of grace never empties.
“Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven”. Matthew 9:2.

Fear #3 Fear of running out…
…of time, money, luck, credit, wisdom, intelligence..the list goes on.
So we worry! But let’s not. Here are some tips to stop worry.
P Pray first. Give thanks for a positive solution.
E Easy now, slow down. Wait patiently for God’s answer.
A Act on it. Have a concern? Deal with it. Don’t dwell on it.
C Compile a worry list. See that the worry is fruitless.
E Evaluate worry categories. Pray specifically for recurring areas.
F Focus on today. God meets needs daily.
U Unleash a worry army. Share worry. Break it down.
L Let God be enough. He gives us all we need.
“I tell you not to worry about everyday life – whether you have enough.” Matthew 6:25.

Fear is a bully (day86/365)

Can you imagine a life without fear? A life with no lay-offs, no flare-ups, no slow-downs, no turnovers, no downturns, no upsurges, no breakouts?
A life not affected by a final heartbeat, a final paycheck, a final solution?

Fear corrodes confidence. Fear sucks life out of the soul.

Can fear save a marriage?
Can fear pull you out of poverty?
Can fear negotiate a peace treaty?

We can’t be happy and fearful at the same time.
We can’t be clear thinking and afraid at the same time.
We can’t be confident and fearful at the same time.

Fear is a bully! It likes to kick other emotions out and takeover. Fear can easily lead to sin in angry outbursts, drinking binges, sullen withdrawals.

Hysteria is not from God. He calls us to have courage and faith.

As Max Lucado shares with us how to overcome 13 fears in his book “Fearless”, my prayer is that we can all find courage and faith to face our challenges. Keep reading over the next week for some encouragement.

Friends – Now And Forever (day85/365)

Norman Vincent Peale includes a chapter on “How to get people to like you” in his book “The Power Of Positive Thinking”.

Considering that people like to feel they are appreciated, regarded highly, or well thought of, here are some tips that will help us treat people with respect and appreciation.

1/ Learn to remember names.
2/ Be comfortable – fit with people like their old shoe.
3/ Be easy-going. Don’t get ruffled.
4/ Don’t be a “know-it-all”. Be humble.
5/ Be interesting.
6/ Get the “scratchy” elements out of your personality.
7/ Heal misunderstandings quickly.
8/ Practise liking people til you do so genuinely.
9/ Never miss an opportunity to say congratulations on achievements or to express sympathy in sorrow or disappointment.
10/ Give spiritual strength to people.

Another chapter in the same book explores the concept that time and eternity are inseparable; that there is no death, that all life is indivisible;that the the here and hereafter are one; that this is one unobstructed universe.

These thoughts are certainly comforting for those who have had relatives and friends pass away. Many people have reported the positive experience of “knowing” or “feeling” that their loved one is with them.

This chapter is very interesting. Can I suggest you secure a copy of the book for yourself to read.