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  • Welcome to A Community of Grace, a place where we gather with you in pursuit of living each day in the grace of God.

    Grace is the love of God poured out in His unmerited favor and divine power, giving us everything we need for life and godliness through the life of Christ in us.

    God desires for each of us to know Christ and live empowered by His grace. For many years we didn't understand how to do this. God has been teaching us that as we consistently spend time with Him in His Word, He reveals Himself to us. Hearing His voice speak through the pages of Scripture and meditating upon His words fills our mind with truth. As we respond to God's truth in obedient faith, His mighty power - His grace - is released in our lives.

    We invite you to take a journey with us through 90 Days of Grace. Our prayer is that each of us will gain daily insight into a new aspect of God's grace and apply it to our present circumstances. We hope you will share your journey with us by commenting on how God is working His grace into your life in new and fresh ways.

    As a subscriber to this site you will automatically receive each new devotion as it is posted. However, you can begin the 90 Days of Grace at anytime. From the Search box on the side of this page, simply input which day's devotion (Day 1...) you are seeking.

    Come journey with us! Carol Farrish and Judy Mills

Day 7

COG, Devotion #7, Cage

Regret. We’ve all experienced it. There were the times our choices were not what they should have been. There were paths that didn’t lead where we thought they would go. There have been words that hurt others deeply. Our regret over such things can weigh heavily at times.

Yet we have a God who says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing” (Isaiah 43:18-19). His “new thing” in you started the moment you became a Christian:

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old things passed away;                                                                        behold, new things have come.”                                                                                                        2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB  

Now, God is eager to work out His life, the new creation, in you. He doesn’t want you stuck in the past.

 Whether it was 30 years ago or yesterday, what you did or what you were is not who you are. You are a child of God. He has redeemed you. He desires to transform you. It is for freedom that He has set you free.

 The Apostle Paul, a man who easily could have been paralyzed with regret, chose to move forward: “Forgetting what’s behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal.” What was his goal? Paul wanted to know Christ. As we walk more closely with Jesus, His holy life grows in us. His life frees us to let go of the past.

Is there a regret you need to let go of?

Will you believe, on the authority of God’s Word, that you are a new creation? God said the old person has gone, a new person has come. In Christ, you are free indeed!

 

Day 6

Day 6 - Path

Before a multitude of people, Jesus presented a radical new teaching, now known as the Sermon on the Mount. He began by pronouncing “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”  It was a stunning statement in stark contrast to what the Pharisees taught, but was paramount to all He would go on to say.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit.”  The little “s” in spirit denotes our spirit.  Jesus wants us to know that we’re spiritually bankrupt without Him.  Trying to live on our own, pursuing our own interests, and taking care of ourselves will result in spiritual poverty.  It will always leave us wanting more.  When we believe this and seek Him we are blessed.

Moses spent 40 years leading more than two million people through a desert. Scripture shows that, at times, these people made his life miserable. Surely he was eager to reach their destination. Yet, Moses told God he didn’t want to enter the Promised Land if God’s Presence wasn’t going with them. He didn’t mince words: “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here” (Exodus 33:15).

Do you grasp just how much you need God’s Presence? Do you realize how destitute you are apart from Him? King David said to the Lord, “You have said, ‘Seek you My face – inquire for and require My Presence [as your vital need].’ My heart says to You, ‘Your face [Your Presence], Lord, will I seek’” (Psalm 27:8 AMP). That’s how Moses and David lived.

Are you willing to say to God today, “Don’t send me up from here if Your Presence doesn’t go with me”?

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:3

Day 5

Day 5 Woman sitting with her bible

For the past month, a Boeing 777 jet has been missing. Aviation experts and newscasters have filled the airwaves with their speculation and theories concerning its fate. We may one day see that some came close to the truth, while others missed it completely. One thing, however, is certain:  there is One who knows exactly what happened to the plane.

As a people, we spend much time speculating and pontificating about things we do not know with absolute surety. The apostle Paul came across such a scene: “All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas” (Acts 17:21). We have no doubt that God greatly delights in our pursuit of knowledge. But He invites us to pursue knowledge with Him:

“Come, let us reason together.” (Isaiah 1:18)

In a similar invitation, Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me” (Matthew 11:28-29 NIV).

Not only can we learn about Jesus, but we can learn truth and receive the answers to our questions from Jesus. What does this look like? You simply ask Him. Whatever is on your mind today, go to Jesus and ask Him. First, He will take you to His Word. His Words are truth and all truth is consistent with His Word. He also speaks wise counsel through godly people. He may wake you in the middle of the night with insight, straight from His heart to yours. He may speak to you in a myriad number of ways, including through circumstances and creation.  It may take time. Yet, be assured, He will speak!

Today:

Ask God the question(s) on your mind.

Believe He will speak.

Listen for Him to answer.