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How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake I am still with you. Psalm 139:17-18

Two things were vital to my new birth as a child of God. In the fall after my conversion at age twelve, my father preached a series of sermons on Psalm 139 and I absorbed what he spoke like a sponge. I also learned to delve into the character of God and always make this the basis of my faith, not my feelings or current cultural trends.

This Psalm, as a whole, is a song of praise for the universal presence and infinite knowledge of God. Where ever you are, God is there too, in a very personal way. He knows everything from the molecular structure of the galaxies to the most intimate, secret thoughts of every man that ever breathed.

Nothing in your heart or in your life will ever surprise your Heavenly Father’s knowledge abilities, or love, so relax. He looks upon you with compassion and understanding. (Don’t interpret understanding as tolerance.) The greatest comfort in the world is that God knows my heart in its most vulnerable, raw form. He will clean it, mold it and make it like His.

God is Good, you can rest your faith on this alone!

Love,

Gretchen

“But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 14:13-14

Luke, the doctor and missionary that traveled with Paul on his journeys, saw human need from a different perspective. Much of his gospel dealt with Jesus’ miracles of healing the sick and His ministry to the marginalized.

It was the sabbath and Jesus was sharing a meal at the home of a prominent pharisee who had many guests of honor this day. Jesus watched as men maneuvered themselves to boast their social status while they silently cast judgement on His miracles of love bestowed upon the weak and weary. They had no qualms about feasting together on the Sabbath, but Jesus had just healed a man with a crippling inflammation and they were offended that He should labor. They were so proud of themselves, their ‘Holy’ intellect and achievements. Jesus longed for them to know the true gift of generosity, grace and mercy.

Only those things given without expectation of return are true gifts of love. We think of love as the opposite of hate, but it is not, it is the cure, as generosity is the cure for poverty.

In Christ,

Gretchen

His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. Revelation 19:12

The original readers of Revelation were called to stand firm against the power and influence of Rome and its pagan culture. Many Christians were suffering persecution, but some became complacent and avoided attention and discomfort through compromise, a dangerous place to dwell.

The scripture prior to this verse talks of the wedding supper, referencing the church as the Bride of Christ and Jesus’ return as our Groom. But quickly the vision John received turned to a Warrior, a Prince whose victory is certain and whose character, depth and mission are in large part, a mystery to mortal men who cannot fathom all that God is and has planned through His Son Jesus Christ.

John was taken into Heaven, (through his vision) to view the world from God’s perspective. Man’s natural instinct is to place themselves at the center of the universe. To remove ourselves and place God back where He belongs is a choice. If we are to live in the world, but not of it, we must place ourselves at the feet of the One who wears the crowns of victories we don’t even recognize and things we do not understand.

Love,

Gretchen

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.Joshua 1:9

Moses has died. He led the children of Israel 40 years in the desert but was denied entrance into the promised land as the consequence of an angry outburst of disobedience to God. Joshua was Moses’ attendant throughout these years. He was with him on the Mount of God and was one of the twelve spies. He was faithful and obedient and now he is charged with the gigantic task of leading the covenant nation into the Promised Land and governing them as they begin to take their permanent place in the world.

In the passage prior to verse nine God says many times, “Be strong and courageous.” This is the final time and God adds “Do not be terrified or discouraged.”

Blessings were about to multiply, but God’s people couldn’t see the future, only the immediate and in living color things looked grim. They acted accordingly. We have hind-sight to their story so we shake our heads at their resistance because we see that God did exactly as He said He would do. We do NOT have hind-sight to our own story so we are vulnerable to terror and discouragement too. But just as God commanded Joshua on His journey, He commands us. Faithfulness demands courage and strength.

The exact same God that created and stood by these great men of faith, is the same God that created and stands next to you.  That’s pretty awesome so stand tall, be brave, change the world!

Feeling Big on the Inside,

Gretchen

Suddenly a great company of the Heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest Heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.”  Luke 2:13-14

An angel appeared to shepherds who were tending flocks on the plains and hillsides surrounding Bethlehem. It was night time, but God’s glory lit the sky. The news was good. In a world full of dysfunction, oppression and corruption, God sent a means of peace. The sign of this event, a baby, Jesus. Following the angel’s announcement, a choir appeared and began singing the world’s most amazing birthday song.

This host of angels sang praise to the source of our hope and connected Heaven to earth by echoing God’s purpose, a peace that passes all understanding. God, worthy of our praise, has sent His beloved Son from the security of Heaven on a mission, to bring peace to the heart of man.

In a world where religion has become a source of division and all the diversity of God’s creation has become man’s war, remember……that baby is called THE PRINCE OF PEACE. God’s favor is good, it is love and it is something to sing about all year round.

Love,

Gretchen

If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. John 15:7

The important part of this verse is NOT ‘ask whatever you wish’ but ‘remain in Me.’

In the Old Testament, Israel is referred to as the vine, brought out of Egypt. Jesus is the True Vine, fulfilling God’s purpose. These words spoken by Jesus to His closet friends on the night of His arrest are part of a much bigger picture. He draws a parallel between spiritual victory and a productive vineyard, something these men understand. The vines that produce no fruit are cut off, soon to wither and die. The only hope for continued life and growth is to be connected in a healthy way to the branch being tended by the gardener. Fruit production is key! This bounty is defined in Galatians 5. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

There are many things in this world I have asked for, and much more yet to be voiced, but at the heart of all my wants and needs is this fruit. How much money will give me self-control? How much education will grant me gentleness. Will great friends miraculously make me good and give me peace? NO, ONLY Jesus will. All that I need is found in Him and I must abide/remain or all is lost.

This fall, as you light a fire and roast a marshmallow, remember no one cut down the good and useful tree or pruned the perfect vine. You are heated by the warmth of something that was dead to begin with and is now being completely erased from what it was created to be. Don’t be that. Connect to Jesus and be all you can be.

Love,

Gretchen

He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. Genesis 28:12

Man’s failure does not alter God’s covenant promises.

Jacob had to flee his ancestral home, never to see his mother Rebecca again, as a consequence for manipulating his father Isaac and brother Esau and tricking them out of Esau’s birthright. He was headed to Paddan Aram to live with his mother’s brother Laban. In a moment of total loneliness, God comes and stands beside Jacob and affirms the covenant made to Jacob’s grandfather Abraham. I will bring you back, and give you this land for your descendants, who will be like the dust of the earth. (28:13-14)

This dream introduces Jacob to a new way of life…….. trusting a future that was hidden in the promise of God. The stairway represents a bridge between Heaven and earth, set by God and kept by Him. Jacob will continue the family line from which Jesus will come.

God cannot be taken for granted and being part of God’s plan does not guarantee that man will be saved. Man’s lack of faith and character will never amend or obstruct God’s plan of salvation for you.

Happy Wednesday,

Gretchen

All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.  John 6:37

It was the season of Passover, the year before Jesus was crucified. The roads were full with multitudes of travelers on their way to Jerusalem for the holiday. Jesus would not be joining them because there was already a plot to kill Him. Instead, He would celebrate this Holy time by feeding 5000+ people.

Jesus spent a great deal of time ministering to men’s physical needs. He still does, but His mission is to save men’s souls. After seeing Jesus’ miracles, many men followed Him, but wanted Him to be their earthly king and bring about a social order in which they could get their bread without working. When they realized that wasn’t what Jesus was about, they chose to go another way and stopped following Jesus.

Jesus offers a bread that will that will give life beyond the physical need. How does one access this gift? You come…. as you are….. today…..broken, tired, anxious, alone, bitter…..and you accept Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, as your Savior.

Love,

Gretchen

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 3:11

The Epistle books of the Bible are personal letters written to specific groups of people addressing their exact needs as it pertains to discipleship and the social issues they face in their maturing salvation relationships with God and each other. Corinth, due to its place on both land and sea trade routes, was a very diverse city. The church had no building so they met in homes. This lent itself to factions in the community of believers because they naturally segregated themselves according to language, cultural preference and natural friendships, creating a breeding ground for fracturing relationships among young Christians. Pretty soon the focus of worship and spiritual growth was on man rather than The Savior, Jesus Christ. The church sent a delegation to visit Paul while he was in Ephesus. These are words he wrote back to the church he had established and the people he loved.

Christianity is based on one thing only! God gave His Son out of unconditional love for you. That Son gave His life out of unconditional love for you, so that you may have life everlasting, beginning today! This alone is the firm foundation on which the church is built!

Man did not create the church, God did. It is a place of worship, a time to set aside the world and focus on the One who loves us perfectly in all our imperfections.

Standing on Solid Ground,

Gretchen

The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him. Psalm 37:23

This well loved Psalm is an acrostic poem, with each section beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is a collection of proverbial sayings from wisdom writers.

We live in a world where wickedness is prevalent at every turn. It is discouraging and joy draining. This Psalm of David speaks words for victory over our questions of “Why?” and “How long must we?” Throughout its forty verses David advises, trust, take delight, commit, be still and know, wait patiently, refrain from anger. When fretting is the active verb that defines us, evil is nipping at our heals.

From man’s perspective it looks like those that flagrantly disobey God prosper……A LOT!…. but…..The LORD laughs at the wicked because He knows what end is coming for them and their power will be broken.

Never give up on doing good. There is no law against kindness. It is the great antidote for evil. The end result will be firm steps here on earth and life everlasting.

Happy Saturday!

Gretchen