Grace

When the Mountain Moves

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For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ … Mark 11:23 NKJV

Have you ever tried working up enough faith to move a mountain? I sometimes wonder if I could even move a pebble but maybe we’re missing the point of mountain moving. Jesus never did miracles just to put on a show. He calmed storms, multiplied bread or healed the sick to meet a need. If we are called to move mountains with our faith then it must also be for some good reason.

Can you imagine people waking up asking, “Where in the world did that mountain go that was here yesterday. The answer is in Zechariah

‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ” Zechariah 4:7

By God’s word the mountain moves so that we can walk across the plain with God’s love to a new destination of Grace.

Buying the Hat

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Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.             1 Peter 1: 18-19 ESV

While shopping at Walmart with my wife we happened to pass by a display of hats that caught my eye. So for a just a moment I paused to try a few on. First I glanced in the mirror and after I discovered one I liked I asked Nancy what she thought. But no matter how much she or I liked that hat, it still didn’t belong to me until it was paid for

My browsing the hat section is a lot like people treat the church. They like what they hear and maybe even try the Christian hat on for size; but then they put it back on the shelf, walk out the door. What is missing is that a transaction has never occurred. In order for salvation, to become ours someone must pay at the register. That someone is Jesus Christ. He stands waiting by the door for us to come to him so that our transaction can be completed. Today is the day to do more than try on the Christian hat for size. This is our time to meet with Jesus Christ and know for certain that everything we will ever need has been paid for in full with the precious blood of Jesus Christ!

 

A Bicycle Prayer

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The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.        John 1:14 ESV

“Lord I’m asking for a new bike for my birthday.” Was the first prayer I ever prayed, not counting my “Bless the food.” requests. As that day drew closer and closer, my fervency increased. But when a real bicycle actually appeared on my big day; no one was more shocked than me!    Imported from phone 296

My family saw only two wheels, a chain and spokes; but for the first time I saw that there really was a God and that He listened when I prayed. If you think my theology was a bit wobbly, you would be right. You might ask; did I deserve a bike? But God was not just interested in how I prayed or the merits of my request. He knew that whether deserving it or not I needed something that I could put my hands on and say, “God is really there!”

The answer to my bicycle prayer gives a dim picture of why God sent Jesus to earth. If He would have waited for us to figure everything out Jesus would have never come. But God knew that we needed more than just words; we needed a person. We needed someone who we could touch and hear and see to show us His love. The people had the Ten Commandments but that was like having a bicycle with no idea of how to ride it. But Jesus came, so we could know that God listens to our prayers and that if we believe in Him we would have someone who could carry us all the way home!