Showing posts with label grace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grace. Show all posts

Friday, October 14, 2011

Reason to Smile


The return of the sun isn’t the only reason I’m smiling—even laughing today. I’m moving quickly through my gardening and other activities today because I want to spend the bulk of the day reading the Bible and praying about the next step or layer in the revival the Lord has sent me. The fire hasn’t gone out—the embers are still glowing and sparking back into flame. Now that I know deep down in my spirit how marvelous and complete Jesus’ payment of the penalty for my (and your) sins is, I want to get the same level of understanding of how God wants his people to live here on earth. Salvation absolutely affects life on earth but is more about getting to heaven. I need to fully grasp the here and now as a follower of Jesus. Since love is the major command of Jesus and the reason he came, the next step is to really learn about God’s love and have it overflow to others.

Today in my gardening, I replaced ragged-looking cuttings of sweet potato vines with fresh yellow green ones and purple ones, planting the worn ones in a pot where they can cascade over the front landing. In the process of transplanting the cuttings, a purple mum branch (not blooming) and a yellow, green and red coleus branch broke off; I’m not sure why the branches are so brittle. It was however, time to refresh my flower arrangement. I added the broken branches, trimmed the other stems and poured fresh water. Since mums have woody stems, I had to lightly pound the end of the stem with a hammer so it can take in water. I was pleased to find that the Parrot Leaf had rooted, though nothing else had; it now has a new home in a front planter where its roaming tendencies can be admired. I had been looking for something colorful in that spot—I love it when I can fill a “need” with something I already have. (I also have a site on stretching money: http://www.stretchednotbroken.blogspot.com ).

See you later, I have more “blooming again” (reviving) to do! (I’d love to hear from you at leafyjournal@yahoo.com if you’re starting to “bloom again!”)

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Same Song, Second Verse


Occasionally a hibiscus flower stays open into the next day—a bonus. This is the same one that bloomed yesterday (see yesterday’s picture). Something bloomed in me yesterday afternoon that has continued into today, and I hope it never closes. Though I’ve known all my life about Jesus’ death and resurrection paying the penalty for our sins and study the Bible closely and teach it—until yesterday I didn’t get as much of the impact of it. As I dug through the Greek word meanings, I found that the words themselves say that Jesus’ sacrifice is complete! When we turn away from our sins (repent) God forgives (sends away) our sins and cancels our guilt and punishment! The sin is gone! The debt is paid! No more guilty conscience (Hebrews 10:22) no “paying the consequences”!

The Lord washed his joy over me with an even fuller understanding of that freedom. I’m so excited that I can barely sit still! This is in no way to advocate “cheap grace” because scripture makes it clear that we are to turn away from sin and the devil and turn toward God, obeying everything that Jesus taught. (John 14) This is such good news that I just had to tell you about it!

I’ll likely be writing in more detail on this on my other sites. Meanwhile if you want to know more about the freedom, you can write me at leafyjournal@yahoo.com

The joy I’m feeling gave me the energy to at last get the fertilizing done. The lawn crew was back today to plant grass seed so we’ll soon have all kinds of new growth. The sky is still a white blanket but rain is expected.