I’m talking about communication. Give and take. Reciprocity. The exchange indicative of a vibrant relationship. 

There are big dismissals and smaller ones but each involves a turning away.

When you have a pressing issue, or you see something differently, or you and God have reached an impasse, what do you do? 

Every one of us is on one side or the other of the equation…frequently, if not perpetually. And apparently this is true of God as well.

Forgiveness is not contingent.

God determined that He wanted to forgive us and then made a provision—Jesus Christ—for His desire to be realized.

I forgot. Dianne worried. I need forgiveness. My wife needs to forgive.

More often than not, my struggle is to control people and circumstances, which is to say, I harbor the deceptive belief that if I can gain control of all that affects me, I will achieve rest.

For those who harbor the belief that they can conquer enough of the world to control their fate, relinquishing the resources of their abilities is a challenging proposition. 

I realize I am supposed to rest in Christ. Nevertheless, struggling to rest is disconcertingly familiar.

Indeed, grace is what Jesus did for us that resulted in us being embraced within the favor of God. But more important: Grace is who Jesus is!

God looked into His heart of grace, spoke what was in His heart regarding life and light for mankind, and then personified His heart of grace in the person of Jesus Christ.

I thought grace was a theological concept. 

I’m talking about seeing with the eyes of your heart, catching a glimpse of something that can be realized; the kind of idea that creates an intensity in the center of your chest. How long has it been? 

Those who speak of a vision to others are also needy people possessing great desire. They speak of vision because they need and desire others to adopt their vision in order to bring it into reality. 

When Jesus declared, “I will show you the Father,” He invited all listening to see God as they had never dreamed of seeing Him. 

Vision is compelling. It can cause people to rise to a noble occasion.

Vision is powerful. It can change whole countries. 

Here’s my current recipe for holiday fare. Feel free to modify as you see fit, just don’t overcook it. 

In the spiritual battle for the hearts and lives of men and women, this inconsequential couple, pregnant out of wedlock, an embarrassment, were the avenue by which God would initiate His coup de grace of mankind’s redemption.