Month: July 2024

As king, David did not live a life of leisure and pleasure. He was a sinner and reaped a bitter harvest for his transgressions. His eldest son Absalom knew that David’s successor would be Solomon, David and Bathsheba’s second son. Absalom spent four years planning and finally led a rebellion that divided the population. He was finally subdued and killed, completely breaking his father’s heart.

Through victories, losses, sins and forgiveness, David always returned to seek the Heart of God. This song of praise is very much like his own Psalm 18 and Moses’ song in Deuteronomy 32. As king, David had political enemies but he was a brilliant strategist and patient adversary. As a father and husband, David failed on an epic scale. However, whether joy or sorrow, David chose to put God at the center of his mindset. At the end of the day, what God had to offer, was all David wanted.

As children we are taught to not ask for everything. It is selfish and abuses the limited resources of parents or other adults. We carry this mindset into our maturing spirituality and superimpose this parental discipline onto God’s predictable response us. The fact is, God is NOT limited and He wants us to ask for everything with a heart passionate to glorify His Kingdom. Call out! It expresses unfailing trust, humble gratitude, submission to God’s authority and leadership. It is an important practice to the health of your relationship to your Creator and Redeemer and is exactly what God wants you to do. Along with calling out to God, praise was the mainstay of David’s spiritual life. It should be the central sustaining element of your life too.

Love,

Gretchen

And, we who with unveiled faces all reflect the LORD’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the LORD, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

When Jewish teachers went into a city, they carried papers of introduction with them. It was their authority from Jerusalem. They marched proudly waving their importance. These teachers kept the early Jewish converts to Christianity in constant conflict with Paul’s teachings. When faith led to evidence for these new believers, the Judaic leaders insinuated Paul was a fraud because he had no letters of recommendation. To the young, persecuted and questioning church member, this was a serious problem in developing sound faith AND it must be recognized as satan’s attempt to destroy and invalidate the grace and mercy of a loving Savior.

The work of the Holy Spirit and disciples growing in wisdom and number is a greater defense of Paul’s call than someone’s written statement. Read all of chapter three to get the true since of Paul’s commendation to the Corinthian church as recognition of God’s power to transform all people and their circumstances into a perfect reflection of God.

Paul, with unshakable faith, saw the connection between the past, present and future in the Story of God and turned every event of his journey into glory to God. He suffered deprivation and humiliation far beyond human endurance but knowing the Old Covenant was replaced with the living New Covenant and an assurance of life everlasting made every breath, no matter the struggle, worth it.  So, be transformed, all day, every day!

Love,

Gretchen

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from unrighteousness. I John 1:9

The scripture we know of as John’s first epistle was a circular letter, written by John from his permanent home in Jerusalem, to the churches surrounding Ephesus. By the time John wrote this letter the pure teachings of Jesus had become tainted with opinions, blends of other religions and people’s personal agendas. This had to stop so John took action.

When I was a kindergarten teacher it was essential to break complex knowledge into its most simple parts to lay a strong foundation of life long learning. I loved my job because, when I reflect on how understandable and attainable the basic parts of life really are it is a total relief. It’s totally doable! This verse reminds us all that there is one very simple Gospel: Confession leads to forgiveness, forgiveness leads to righteousness…… AND the biggie!!!!! GOD IS FAITHFUL! It’s doable!

Love,

Gretchen