Moving Day!

Last month, I announced that I was moving Reflections from Blogger to a self-hosted Wordpress blog. I am happy to announce that my new design is ready (thanks to Erin at Design by Insight) and moving day is tomorrow, August 12th. My blog will be down while the move is made.

I will return on Monday (if not before) at the new site. August 15th just happens to be my two-year blogging anniversary, so I am planning a giveaway to celebrate two years of blogging, my new location, and to show my appreciation to you. Be sure to check in on Monday. The web address will remain the same, http://www.reflectionsofhisgrace.com/, so you should be able to access it easy. Just make sure you don't use the .blogspot address.

I'm excited about the move and I have something new planned that I will announce on Monday.

Until then, have a wonderful and blessed weekend, Reflecting upon His grace.

By Grace Alone

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

I have heard religion described as man attempting to reach out to God. There are many who strive for acceptance through works in the hopes that they will draw close to their god.

Christianity is different. In Christianity, God reached down to man by sending His only Son to die for our sins. It is only by His grace, His unmerited favor, that we are saved. Grace is not something we have to work for or an achievement that we must meet in order to gain favor with God. Grace is a gift and He is just waiting for us to accept it - by faith.

I am so thankful for His grace.

Linked to Word Filled Wednesday.

Peace

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27)

This is the fourth in a series of posts about the fruit of the Spirit. You can read my posts on patience, love, and joy by searching the archives. Next, I will post about kindness.

I suppose since the beginning of time—at least after the fall, the world has been searching for peace. Throughout history, nations have gone to war in the name of peace. (Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it?) In my own lifetime, there have been many “peaceful” demonstrations and anti-war protests. If you do an internet search, you can find various articles on “peace signs” as people continue searching for a representation of peace.

When my family members are healthy, my husband and I have jobs, and we are able to pay our bills on time, it is easy to have peace. However, life is not always this easy. We face illness, unemployment, financial difficulties, and a host of other issues. Is it possible to have peace in the midst of strife and turmoil?

In the book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul writes about the peace that surpasses all understanding. As Christians, we can experience this type of peace. We can feel calm in the midst of a storm, reassurance during a health crises, and calmness when facing financial worries. When we pray and place our trust in the Lord, He will give us peace.

I love The Message translation of Philippians 4:6-7 - Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

As with the other characteristics of the Fruit of the Spirit, none of this is impossible without Christ. He is the tie that binds all these things together. It is His peace – peace that the world cannot understand.

Linking to Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood at Finding Heaven and On My Heart Tuesdays at A Pause on The Path.

Summer & Winter

You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter.

(Psalm 74:17)

Summer continues and I continue to count my gifts. Each day, each hour, each moment is a gift from God. I'm reminded that it is the Creator who changes times and seasons, who holds everything in His hands. Summer and winter, springtime and harvest...great is His faithfulness.

This week, I give thanks for:

333) Caring friends and coworkers

334) Youth group testimonies at church this morning

335) Memories of snowfall and

336) Assurance that cooler weather will come again

337) A late evening drive in the country

338) Spending a quiet evening at home

339) A church home in which sound Biblical doctrine is taught

340) Lack of mosquitoes due to the drought (there is something positive about it)

341) Finishing a Photoshop Elements class and learning it isn't so hard to use after all.

Counting 1000 Gifts and beyond...

Joy

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15:11)

This is the third of a series of posts about the fruit of the Spirit. You can read my posts on patience and love by searching the archives. In the next post, I will write about peace.

“Lord, I’m not happy right now. Amen!” My husband and I have laughed many times since over his short (and honest) prayer, but when he uttered those words, it was no laughing matter. A situation at his job caused him to be extremely upset. However, because he was accustomed to giving thanks at each meal, when he sat down to eat his lunch; he felt he had to pray.

We all face situations when we are not happy. We will have times of despair. Yet in these times can we still have joy? Let us consider the apostle, Paul. He wrote the book of Philippians (and several others) while in prison, but throughout the letter he speaks of joy. Among his words are:

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy… (Philippians 1:3-4)

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith… (Philippians 1:25)

Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. (Philippians 2:2)

So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men… (Philippians 2:29)

Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. (Philippians 4:1)

No doubt Paul was not happy about being in prison, but he still had joy and desired fellow believers would also be joyful. It is clear in his writings that his love for the Philippian believers and their faith in Christ brought him joy.

In the book of Acts, Peter and some of the apostles had to stand before the council of the Sanhedrin because they were proclaiming the name of Christ. After being dismissed from the council, scripture tells us they went away rejoicing because they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor because of the name of Christ. (Acts 5:41)

As believers, we can look upon these men as an example for our own lives. We may not always be happy about a situation, but we can still have joy because we know Christ as our Savior.

Linking to Spiritual Sundays and Soaking on Sonday.

When The Heat is On

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1)

Much of the United States is in the midst of a heat wave. Some areas are experiencing droughts and record heat. We long for water for the parched land and cooler temperatures to provide relief from the extreme heat.
 
However, most of us have never faced a situation like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were literally thrown into a fiery furnace and King Nebuchadnezzar ordered the heat be increased seven times more than usual.
 
Still, they did not falter in their faith or bow down to this worldly king. They continued to trust in God and worship only Him. God rewarded their faithfulness and stayed with them throughout the ordeal. When the king looked into the furnace, he found them unharmed - only the ropes that bound them had been unleashed. He saw not only three men, but also a fourth one. He answered and said, "But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods." (Daniel 3:25)

No matter what situation in life we face, Jesus is with us. He never leaves our side and He knows our needs before we ask. That is something for which we can all be thankful. When the heat is on, turn to Jesus.

Linking to Thankful Thursday.

Lift Up Our Eyes

When Jewish believers made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem to worship, they often sang songs. These have come to be known as the Psalms of Ascent and include Psalms 120-134. Psalm 121 is intended to instill confidence in those making that pilgrimage.

As believers in Christ, we too can take comfort in the words of this Psalm. No matter what we face, we can rest in the fact that the Lord, the maker of Heaven and Earth, is with us and in Him alone comes our help. We can say with confidence, "My help comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth." (Psalm 121:2)

There is no problem too big, no problem to small, no situation so hopeless that God cannot handle. Lift up your eyes and rejoice!

Linked to Word Filled Wednesday.