Grace Upon Grace

I'm so glad you are here! I hope during your visit you get a glimpse of God's heart for we become what we are gazing at. I pray that God refreshes you and gives you readiness to persevere in what He has for you today.  My desire is to be a blessing to you in helping you know God more and make Him known so I've made these Resources available to you and have the Missional Living blog tab for practical ideas of how to live on mission right where you are. If you are blogger come link up on Friday's for Brag on God Friday.   

And swing by my soapbox to read about stewarding Tim Tebow and the opportunity to capitalize on his platform to further God's kingdom.

"Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you." And the LORD said, "I will wait until you return." Gideon went in, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak. The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And Gideon did so. With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared. When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, "Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!"  Judges 6:18-22

So often we think we have to do something to earn or deserve God's grace. And though that is utterly messed up and robs God of His glory, He doesn't use it for a opportunity to scold us. Jesus didn't take Gideons sacrifice and throw it down saying, 'I came to you before your offering, I came to you, not because you are so great but because I AM.' Instead He uses it as an opportunity to increase Gideon's faith.

Grace upon grace. He lets Gideon give and receives what He doesn't need. How beautiful that the God of the universe receives our imperfect gifts.

And just as the meat was accepted, we (those who have submit our life to Jesus and are trusting in His perfection to make us right before the Father instead of our own) too are accepted by the Lord. We are seen through the perfection of Jesus.

And it wasn't until Gideon stepped out in action, no matter how imperfect his motives were, that he was able to see the Lord rightly. How incredible because Daniel 11:32 says that "those who know their God will display strength and take action." And here we see Gideon has just a tiny glimpse of God and acts on it and the result is seeing/knowing God more. It's like a beautiful cycle. The more you see/know God, the more you live for Him and the more you see and get to know Him which again moves you to act/live for Him. It's like God set up a life-giving cycle for us to grow in the knowledge of Him!

Oh Lord YOU ARE JUST SO AMAZING! The very thing we desire, to know You is the very desire You've put in us and feed. Thank you! Thanks for giving us a glimpse of Your grace upon grace.

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The Entire Series. What Have You Missed?

Chapter One
{Verses 1-3} Know-er 
{Verses 4-7} Reliance 
{Verses 9-11}  Bigger Picture 
{Verses 17-19} Prepare for Battle
{Verses 21-2:6}  No More 

Chapter 2
{Verses 7-11} Revealer 
{Verses 11-12} The Lord's Anger
{Verses 14-15} Love Conquers
{Verses 16-19} The Great Rescue
{Verses 22-3:4} The Big Test      

Chapter 3
{Verses 7-11} Willing & Available 
{Verses 12-14} Facing the Enemy
{Verses 15-30} Freedom 
{Verse 31} Comparison

Chapter 4
{Verses 2-3} Beauty of Bridled Strength  
{Verses 8-13} Tons of Nuggets 
{Verses 17-5:31} Where's the Trust     

Chapter 5
{Verses 2-31} Offering  

Chapter 6
{Verse 2} Running out of Darkness 
{Verses 7-8} God Responds 
{Verses 11-12}Redemptive Eyes  
{Verse 13} Questioning Goodness 
{Verse 14} What Strength?   
{Verses 15-16} Just not enough
{Verse 17} Is it really you?

I'm linked up with the beautiful ladies at  A Holy Experience, The Beauty in His Grip, Nebraska Graceful, The Wellspring 

#314 Opportunity to know God and make Him known.
#315 Our students getting the opportunity to be part of the Passion movement and giving over 3 million dollars to rescue girls from sex trafficking.
#316 Getting to persevere in speaking at the Denver Christmas Conference
#317 Getting to see my good friends the Herbst's and Dennisons at the confernece
#318 Brad having a great interview to join staff
#319 milk
#320 My moms newly functioning heart.  :)
# 321 God using an athlete in my city to proclaim His truth!