Making the Most of Every Opportunity

I LOVE the post Dane Ortlund wrote showing grace throughout the Bible. I think we tend to miss how grace-filled His Word is (we especially miss it in the Old Testament). Go read the full list of every book  and be encouraged at how unified (not uniform) the Bible is! Here are some highlights... Genesis shows God’s grace to a universally wicked world as he enters into relationship with a sinful family line (Abraham) and promises to bless the world through him. Exodus shows God’s grace to his enslaved people in bringing them out of Egyptian bondage. Leviticus shows God’s grace in providing his people with a sacrificial system to atone for their sins. Numbers shows God’s grace in patiently sustaining his grumbling people in the wilderness and bringing them to the border of the promised land not because of them but in spite of them.... Esther shows God’s grace in protecting his people from a Persian plot to eradicate them through a string of 'fortuitous' events. Job ...

I watched a 52 minute amazing   sermon by Tim Keller that has taught me SO much. I learned that: 1) Exodus 14, "the parting of the Red Sea" is a picture of Christ's salvation to come.  This passage is not just one way God worked once for his people. It's a picture of God's redemption. That's why it's mentioned over and over again in both Old and New Testaments. It's that important. God saves His people through a Mediator ( Moses, the mediator, is a picture of the true Mediator to come, Jesus -see Luke 9 and Hebrews 3 &4) and God's people cross over by grace out of their bondage. What a picture of our great Savior and our own salvation. Beautiful! 2) Water is really a pivotal symbol of God's redemptive plan . In Genesis 1, the Spirit of the Lord hovers over the water and then things happen... creation from water. Then, when everyone falls away, God sends a great flood to "de-create"... In Exodus 14, the Egyptians are "de-...

"When we face opposition, the temptation is to fix our attention on ourselves—justifying ​ ourselves, proving ourselves and defending ourselves.The other temptation is to become obsessed with our opponents, allowing their words and their scorn to ring in our ears. Instead, we need our ears ringing with the Word of God. Our eyes need to be fixed on Jesus. Our goal needs to be his glory. When we know the God who is great and awesome, we know that the battle belongs to the Lord." I'm recognizing how little I "overlook" offenses. I often sit in judgement over "the offender" or plan my defense.When I do that, I am missing grace. This quote is such a sweet rebuke to me. A reminder to go back and fix my eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). Look to Him and His grace and forgiveness. Pray, reflect on His Word, and seek Him in those moments when I'm tempted to replay "the offense" in my mind. I need to confess my own sin in it and receive His sweet grace....

CJ Mahaney steps down as SGM President... I'm still midprocess, but wanted to share thoughts on what God is teaching me. This week, I read that the President of our family of churches was voluntarily stepping down for a season of discipline and restoration because of sins of pride, sinful judgement, lack of submission to accountability, and even spiritual blackmail. We were assured this has been a year and 1/2 long process and he had already been restored to many he had wounded in his sin, but is stepping down to help healing personally and in Sovereign Grace Ministries as a whole. One (godly) man compiled 600 pages of documents of accusations and emails that he sent to CJ and that were posted online. I read through much of it as I grieved and wondered what this means for the church we've loved these past 6 months and our family. Andy and I prayed. I cried. And then I poured over websites of hurt former members and the official documents. They were written personally to ...

I've been planted in Psalm 130 as God reminds me again and again of His gracious love for me. Here are some particular gems I've gleaned in chunks: "Out of the depths I cry to you, O   Lord !  O Lord, hear my voice!  Let your ears be attentive  to the voice of my pleas for mercy! "- The Psalmist is SO aware of his own sin. That's how I've been feeling. I'm so aware and yet unable to pull out of it. "If you, O  Lord , should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. "- It's true. None of us is good enough. I know that. Yet, this week it's like I totally forgot I can't earn Him and felt guilt instead of freedom . Yet, reading this, I'm filled again with joy that He forgives me and is not tallying up my sin at all. I'm totally forgiven:) "I wait for the  Lord , my soul waits, and in his word I hope;" - I can't do it, but He is doing a work in me. My strug...

"The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land." - Exodus 16:35 God provided for 40 years... Why 40? BECAUSE THEY SINNED. They were wandering because of their sin and God was still providing their daily need the entire time. I have been battling areas of sin that are constant struggles in my life. The biggest is fear. I feel incredibly weak and vulnerable in pregnancy and find myself fearful for the baby, for my other children, myself, and even Andy. I'm so aware of my unworthiness in it, too. I know to eat in moderation, yet eat in excess daily (note- pregnancy has actually put an abrupt halt to that), I battle to set good time boundaries with internet, and still continue to desire comfort and stuff instead of giving generously and living simply... This list could go on a long time. As I've been struggling, I've been crying out and begging God to help me fight these sins. And He just keeps lavishing grace after grace. I...