Amazing Grace (Ephesians 2:1-10)

"We are safe because of His grace"
Corel Painter X3
© Karen Kyle Ericson, all rights reserved.

This section of Ephesians has one of our most favorite verses in the Bible:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
We don't understand the word, "grace" so much today.  It's funny my name, "Karen," means "grace." I am the most ungraceful lady you'll ever meet : )  In Webster's dictionary, "grace" also means unmerited divine assistance given humans, kindness, courtesy, temporary exemption.  I have definitely received some of God's grace, and lots of bruises on my legs and toes hahaha.  The opposite of grace is destruction. We should choose God's grace, definitely!

God didn't have to save us.  He could've just given up.  But He didn't.  That tells me that in spite of our sin, He's still leaving the light on for us to come home.  The only requirement is that we have faith in Him, accept His Son, "Jesus," speak to Him through prayer, and allow Him to help us change our ways.  

1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
The prince of the power of the air is the devil. There's a million ways we can go the wrong way.  There's pride that makes us think we're better than other people.  There's drugs and alcohol.  Basically breaking the 10 commandments.  We've all sinned, no one is perfect.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
(Ephesians 2:1-10 NKJV)

Here's a great song from, Citizen Way "How Sweet the Sound" (link)

This is the traditional song by Celtic Woman "Amazing Grace" (link)

Great Hall of Faith 2 (Hebrews 11:8-19)

I heard some good news on TV.  People are beginning to realize that when children were spanked in school, they didn't shoot each other.  So, they are seeking to bring discipline back into the school systems.  I spent some time in a Progressive school and it wasn't fun.  We were taught that the world was over-populated so we shouldn't have kids.  A lot of us, in my generation, just had one child.  Or like me, none at all.  Sadly, there isn't enough money for our politicians today because of it : )  I'd love the schools to just be places to learn to read, write, do math, art and play musical instruments.  A place for kids to learn what they do best and how to make a career of it.  If someone excels in running, then help them out with it. Not sure how school became a political playground.

Then another man was saying he's working on helping people get jobs in manual labor.  I have no idea how this happened but someone decided to "succeed" in America, you had to get a Bachelor's degree and work in business.  So... we have lots of business people who can't fix cars or find work now.  Just glad I learned to write, do stitchery, take photos and paint in schools that weren't progressive.  Even Walmart is working toward selling only American made products : )  We still have some great people here.

When I went to a High School in Utah, there was a machine shop, so guys could learn how to work on their own cars.   My favorite was, "Art class" where I learned to paint.  I actually sold my first painting in Utah.  Home-economics taught cooking and some other things for taking care of a house.  Useful skills.

The funniest experience was when the band came into the lunch room with trombones and played the theme song of the movie, "Jaws" over our soup. "Jaws" was an old movie from the 70's that was about a giant shark.  Some of us still have nightmares about it hahaha.  The soup wasn't very tasty...   Clearly the kids had enough self-esteem to do a wonderful joke that had us all laughing.  I long for kids to be able to have fun in school again.

A long time ago this was written:

24 He who spares his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.
(Proverbs 13:24 NKJV)

(This verse came to mind today, 2-21-14)
"...aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands."
(1 Thessalonians 4:11 NKJV)

Though hairstyles and clothes change, kids are the same.  Even the Bible encourages us, as adults, to work with our own hands. May the Holy Spirit guide us to our individual calling.

Back to the Great Hall of Faith:

Hebrews 11:8-19 NIV
8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
Sarah actually gave up on God and decided she'd fix things instead. Boy does that sound familiar!  She told Abraham to sleep with her servant, "Hagar," so that God's promise could be fulfilled.  Hagar did have a son.  The story is in Genesis 16.  God loved them all.  But, yeah Sarah got in trouble...   It's believed that this is where Muslims came from.  They claim to be Abraham's descendants today.  When Hagar became pregnant, Sarah realized she'd made a mistake and was harsh with her.  So Hagar ran away.  As women, we are complicated aren't we?  What she saw as a problem was seen by God, and He was not pleased.

9 The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” 10 Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” 11 And the Angel of the Lord said to her:
“Behold, you are with child,
And you shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the Lord has heard your affliction.
12 He shall be a wild man;
His hand shall be against every man,
And every man's hand against him.
And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."
(Genesis 16:9-12 NKJV)

13 She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me."
(Genesis 16:13 NIV) 

I've always loved this verse because historically women were always treated as lesser than men.  I'm sure that apple Eve just had to try, had something to do with it.  But in Genesis 16:13 Hagar is deeply touched by God's compassion.  God saw her and for the first time in her life, she had no reason to fear or hide.  The God who sees and understands.  And of course God forgave Sarah and Abraham.  They had many adventures.  Maybe I'll work on that soon.

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 
I've never noticed this before.  They actually chose the path to the unknown rather than returning home.  This must've been used in The Hobbit , by JRR Tolkien.  It's a Christian story about our faith and the paths we must take.

16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
This sounds familiar.  We are waiting for the second coming of Jesus now.  We haven't seen all that will happen but we know from scripture that it will be magnificent.

17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.
Abraham did offer Isaac as a sacrifice to God.  But God saw his devotion and sent a lamb instead.

Thanks to those who prayed for our Church.  We had a wonderful Pastor last Sunday.  The leaders are working on bringing in an interim Pastor.  It will take time I'm sure.

Here's an encouraging song from Tenth Avenue North, Hold my Heart (link) .

Covenant vs. Commandment (Hebrews 8:7-13)

"We've all sinned"
© Karen Kyle Ericson, all rights reserved.

We got snow!  We got 15 inches.  Instead of exercising on the stationary bike, I went out and shoveled the snow.  It was fluffy snow, so not too hard to clean up.   Now the roads from New Jersey to New York City are icy.  We don't do so good out here in icy.  When there's no traffic jam it means "floor it," or "free at last!" Oy!  It would be good to say a prayer for our people and our Governor (I wrote one at the end of this post).

I want to make a snowman with the kids next door, but it's powder.  We'll get more snow tonight.  I've always loved surprises so I like to scoop out the neighbors snow too.  Guess I'm still a kid at 53.

This passage is challenging, I had to break out a dictionary of all things!  In order to understand this passage I looked up some word meanings:
Covenant: a formal, solemn, and binding agreement.
Commandment:  the act or power of commanding, something that is commanded.
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary


I did some more research on how Jesus' covenant is different from the original commandments.  It turns out God's original covenant with man required sacrifice for sin.  This was usually lambs.  Sin is anything that is out of the will of God.  In some cases breaking one of the 10 Commandments resulted in death.  We know Mary who bore Jesus could've been stoned to death because she was pregnant and not married.  But God sent her and Joseph to Bethlehem to pay taxes.

So, when Jesus was crucified the last sacrifice was made.  I read that historically, 40 years after Jesus was crucified the whole temple building was destroyed by Romans.  There was no place for sacrifices to be made so they were stopped.  Some destruction took place in the temple when Jesus' body died on the cross, like the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies was torn in two.

So, God's first covenant with man was if we broke the 10 Commandments, we had to make a sacrifice.  Or be punished by death. It's interesting, sacrifices were made on regular, scheduled times.  This implies that people have been sinning since the beginning. It became expected that animal sacrifices had to made.  What caused it was Eve's decision to know the difference between good and evil by eating the apple.  And then Adam gave it a try too.

Hebrews 8:7-13
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says:“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. 
God changed the covenant/contract with us.  His commandments were never removed.


10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord, ’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
We have access to the Bible in almost all languages now : )  I believe this is describing both here on earth and in the new kingdom that God is going to provide.  It will be a new Heaven and earth.  His commandments will be in our hearts, and our minds.  I have found memorizing verses really helps me out when I get down.
(NKJV)

Today we have this promise:

23 ...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation (gain or regain favor) by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
(Romans 3:23-26 NKJV)

Since we have such an awesome God: who became the sacrifice for our sin, we can seek and find forgiveness, a new beginning in our lives.  So let's all lift up our heads and give Him praise!
Lift up your head, by Jars of Clay (link) 

Here's my prayer for the Winter Olympics and stuff:

Dear Heavenly Father,
I lift up this event to you.  I pray You will protect all who are there and expose the deeds of the terrorists before they are accomplished.  Point them out to the security people.  I pray for Governor Christie.  Thank you for providing a leader who actually cried when he saw the devestation in New Jersey after the hurricane.  We are grateful for him.  Please protect him from selfish politicians.  Guide our country to have compassion and care for each other once again.  I pray for those in Congress that You will give them courage to be noble and seek what's right for our people and the world.  We need You now more than ever.  Thank You for our wonderful country.  And help our NJ drivers drive wisely in the ice, grant them peace instead of anxiety.
 In Jesus Name, Amen.

God's Holy Spirit (Hebrews 6:3-12, Matt 12:22-32, Prov 24:12-14)

Personally, I love God's Holy Spirit.  Once we become Christians He can dwell in us.  When I'm afraid, I ask Him to grant me peace.  When I can't figure out how to say or write something, I ask Him for words to say.  (Lots of praying while I blog!)  When my husband and I are having an argument, the Holy Spirit comes between us and helps us calm down.  When I couldn't figure out algebra in school, I acknowledged that God created Math and would be the best one to help me.  He did!  I got an A and when the teacher asked me how I was improving so much.  I told him I prayed.  : )  God will help us in anyway that is in line with His character of righteousness and love.  He loves the planets and stars in the sky He created.  He gave me a desire to learn the constellations.  He loves us. Ok, I confess He also nudges me.  I feel like I should do something... then I feel like I really should do something... then I feel like NOW would be a good time.  That's the Holy Spirit seeking to use me.   And yes, He just nudged me : )  I would naturally be a lot more shy without Him.

Hebrews 6
3 And this we will do (put aside elementary principles) if God permits. 4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
I have to admit these words are hard.  I know I have sinned since becoming a Christian.  I know other Christians have sinned.  So how can it be that a person can't go back to God in repentance?  There is one unforgivable sin.  That is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.  When I walk past someone I could help, I grieve the Holy Spirit.  Blasphemy is much worse than that.  I looked up the definition in a dictionary and here's what I found:

blasphemy

a :  the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God
b :  the act of claiming the attributes of deity

Here's a story where Jesus describes the difference between blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and sin.  He is God's Holy Spirit.

22 Then a demon- oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
(Matthew 12:22-32 ESV)

7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; 8 but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
Ouch! When we are useful, we do what God loves and receive blessings.  I like that.  However, if we only produce thorns and briers (weeds), and hurt others, we're in danger of going to Hell.  

Here's some encouragement from Proverbs (the book of wisdom):
If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds? 13 My son, eat honey because it is good, And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste; 14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; If you have found it, there is a prospect, And your hope will not be cut off.
(Proverbs 24:12-14 NKJV)
Basically it's encouraging us to seek wisdom and not dwell on the bad.  Do the do's and not the don'ts.

9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
(Hebrews 6:3-12 NKJV) 

I plan to repost the Christmas story around December 20 so we can celebrate Jesus birth on Christmas morning.  Comments are always welcome.

God bless!
Karen