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The Whipping

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Welcome to the Heart of Grace Devotional.  Today I would like for us to think about the price Jesus paid for you and me.  I want to share a story with you today that will help us see more clearly how Jesus took our place. There was a school with a class of students that no teacher had been able to handle. Two or three teachers had been run off from this school in one year by the unruly students. A young man, just out of college, heard about the class and applied to the school.

The principal asked the young man, “Do you know what you are asking for? No one else has been able to handle these students. You are just asking for a terrible beating.” After a few moments of silent prayer, the young man looked at the principal and said, “Sir, with your consent I accept the challenge. Just give me a trial basis.”

The next morning the young man stood before the class. He said to the class, “Young people, I came here today to conduct school. But I realize I can’t do it by myself. I must have your help.” One big boy they called Big Tom, in the back of the room whispered to his buddies, “I won’t need any help. I can lick that little bird all by myself.”

The young teacher told the class that if they were to have school, there would have to be some rules to go by. But he also added that he would allow the students to make up the rules and that he would list them on the blackboard. This was certainly different, the students thought! One young man suggested, “NO STEALING.” Another one shouted “BE ON TIME FOR CLASS.” Pretty soon they had 10 rules listed on the board.

The Teacher then asked the class what the punishment should be for breaking these rules. “Rules are no good unless they are enforced, he said.” Someone in the class suggested that if the rules were broken, they should receive 10 licks with a rod across their back with their coat off. The teacher thought that this was pretty harsh, so he asked the class if they would stand by this punishment. The class agreed.

Everything went along pretty good for two or three days.  Then Big Tom came in one day very upset. He declared that someone had stolen his lunch. After talking with the students, they came to the conclusion that little Timmy had stolen Big Tom’s lunch… Someone had seen little Timmy with Big Tom’s lunch! The teacher called little Timmy up to the front of the room. Little Timmy admitted he had taken Big Tom’s lunch.

So the teacher asked him, “Do you know the punishment?” Little Timmy nodded that he did. “You must remove your coat”, the teacher instructed. The little fellow had come with a great big coat on. Little Timmy said to the teacher, “I am guilty and I am willing to take my punishment, but please don’t make me take off my coat.”

The teacher reminded little Timmy of the rules and punishments and again told him he must remove his coat and take his punishment like a man. The little fellow started to unbutton that old coat. As he did so, the teacher saw he did not have a shirt on under the coat. And even worse, he saw a frail and bony frame hidden beneath that coat. The teacher asked little Timmy why he had come to school without a shirt on. Little Timmy replied, “My daddy’s dead and my mother is very poor, I don’t have but one shirt, and my mother is washing it today. I wore my big brother’s coat so that I could keep warm.”

The young teacher stood and looked at the frail back with the spine protruding against the skin, and his ribs sticking out. He wondered how he could lay a rod on that little back and without even a shirt on. Still, he knew he must enforce the punishment or the children would not obey the rules. So he drew back to strike little Timmy. Just then Big Tom stood up and came down the aisle. He asked, “Is there anything that says that I can’t take little Timmy’s whipping for him?” The teacher thought about it and agreed. With that Big Tom ripped his coat off and stooped and stood over little Timmy at the desk. Hesitatingly the teacher began to lay the rod on that big back. But for some strange reason after only five licks that old rod just broke in half. The young teacher buried his face in his hands and began to sob.  He heard a commotion and looked up to find not even one dry eye in the room. Little Timmy had turned and grabbed Big Tom around the neck apologizing to him for stealing his lunch. Little Timmy begged Big Tom to forgive him. He told Big Tom that he would love him till the day he died for taking his whipping for him.

Aren’t you glad that Jesus took our whipping for us?  That He shed His precious blood on Calvary so that you and I can have eternal life in Glory with Him? We are unworthy of the price He paid for us, but aren’t you glad He loves us that much?

Isaiah 53:3 tells us that:

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”

What Do I Do Now?

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It seems like now more than ever that people are dealing with trials that are far bigger than they ever imagined, and along with that bears the sole fact that we have to go through things practically alone. In the days we live in, you can literally see the frustration and toil that these kinds of things have on others, and it makes you wonder what they are going to do to get out of the tough situations.

Everywhere that I turn my eyes, I continually see defeat and discouragement. Everyone that I listen to only seems to speak of how bad things are. Every action that I see taken around me always seems to be only for being able to just get by. All the while I wonder where the joy of people has gone. All the more questioning why things are the way that they are, as well as why things have to be so hard on others.

Ultimately, I find that when you and I are in these difficult places that it is THEN that we need to recognize who it is we put our trust in. Several verses from the bible come to mind when I try to think of things that inspire me about my difficult trials.

Acts 2:36-39 reads:

[36] Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
[37] Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
[38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
[39] For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

John 6:28-29 says:

[28] Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
[29] Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

After reading these verses, this tells me to believe in Jesus, for it is the works of God. All the blessings can come and be unlocked in your life, when you start it all with the belief that you can reach them. Then, you won’t find yourself saying, “What do I do now?”, and instead you can say with faith and belief that “I’m doing God’s work, and I know that I am going to make it from what I am going through!” Don’t let the enemy persuade you to be idle and still, nor to let anything hinder you from speaking to all of the things that you want to change. I share with you today, quite possibly my personal favorite bible verse of all time.

Philippians 3:13-15 tells us:

[13] Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
[14] I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
[15] Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

It is in reading these lines that remind me so often that where I am in God that there is no stopping place. The trials of life do not stop for anyone, or anything. God does not stop moving in your life either. He is in a constant motion, always ahead of you, going out and making your way blessed. If we can just strive and be determined to have the question “What do I do now” change to “What can I do for you, God?”, I can guarantee that you are on your way to the best outcome for your life, for the promises of God are yea and amen.

Take what we have said today, and rise out of your own ashes. Get up out of your discouragement, and take back charge of your life again. Encourage yourself daily, with simply just knowing that the victory is ahead of you. You might not see it, nor feel it close by, but just have the faith to know its coming! I encourage each and every one of you this day! God Bless all of you!

The 3 Keys of Joseph

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Hello and welcome to the Heart of Grace Broadcast today. It’s a pleasure to have you here, and I hope that what you hear today, you take away and apply in your life, that it be a blessing and help you to grow and be a better you.

Know that no matter where you are right now, that God is with you, and that He is your joy and your strength, no matter how tough things may get, and no matter how far that you feel like that you may get out there.

Today I want to talk about the story of Joseph. If you were a person that grew up in church, I am sure that you had this story drilled into your head at some point in your life. And if you haven’t heard about Joseph at all, and this is the first time for you, let me give you some background.

Jacob, the son of Isaac, married Leah and Rachel and had twelve sons. Jacob favored and loved his eleventh son Joseph the most among his brothers. This made Joseph’s brothers jealous and cruel with him. One night, Joseph dreamt that he and his brothers were binding bundles of corn in field, and that his brothers’ bundles bowed down to his bundle. Another night, he dreamt that the sun, the moon and eleven stars bowed before him. Joseph told his father and his brothers about these dreams. This made the brothers more jealous and full of hate towards their little brother Joseph. The brothers decided to get rid of Joseph.

This is where the start of Joseph’s troubles began, and where I want to start talking about the points that God has given me today.

There are going to be times in your life when you face situations that are beyond your control.

You may face being rejected by others. Joseph was rejected by his brothers from the favor he received from his father Jacob. You might actually be forgotten. Joseph was put into the pit and regarded as dead by his brothers to his father Jacob. You might face temptation. There was a woman that tempted Joseph, to which he resisted. You might face unjust punishment. Joseph had to face the consequences for a crime he didn’t even commit. You could be betrayed by others. Joseph faced betrayal from his brothers. You might be falsely accused. Joseph was falsely accused for the temptation he did not commit.

Joseph faced a lot of these same hard times as well.

He was thrown out into the pit, pretty much left for dead. He was sold out into slavery and tempted, did nothing, and still faced time in jail for something he did not do. Through all of the trials he went through 13 years of bondage. But there were things from the beginning that Joseph possessed, that nothing anyone threw in his way could try and stop him.

First of all, Joseph had a CALLING

He was a dreamer, you see, and could interpret dreams. You have a calling on your life to do something amazing

2 Timothy 1: 8-9 says

[8] Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
[9] Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began

Secondly, Joseph had a PURPOSE

He showed mercy to his brothers, even though they wronged him. He blessed the land in that time with giving bread, despite being forgotten. He was cast into prison, but gave a message of deliverance despite being left behind. He was recognized as a person having the spirit of God.

Finally, Joseph had FAVOR

He went from being considered dead, to a slave, to being in jail, to being a governor over all of the land of Egypt.

Romans 8:26-28 introduces a key passage that applies to what He went through as well as how it applies in our current lives today:

[26] Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
[27] And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
[28] And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

You might feel like today that you are in the pit, or forgotten, or bound up in your own mind, facing unjust things, or dealing with rejection from others, or Lost out in this world.

But I’m here to tell you that you have a way out. You have a way of escape from the way that you are feeling, from the load that you are carrying, and the feelings of rejection that you have inside.

Matthew 11:28-30 says

[28] Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
[29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
[30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Today, as we bring the message to a close, take this opportunity to come unto God, and lay down the heavy burden that you may be feeling in your heart. Don’t fear of what people may think about you, for this is the best decision that you could ever possibly make. I encourage you to be brave and go for this as fast as you can. It’s worth it; I promise you that you will never be the same.

You do not have to walk this life alone. And we at Heart of Grace are with you in this fight; we are praying for you, that you come forward and be those brave people. See, we’re standing with you and we believe together that you can make it, and that with God all things are possible. Through Christ Jesus all things are possible, and with his spirit in our life, all things are possible!

God Bless You!

God Is Able

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Greetings and God Bless. Today, I want to take a few minutes with the opportunity that I have been given and talk about what God has put on my heart recently.

In the world that we live in today, I am learning and observing new things as I continue to get older. I have learned that as you move from the transition in your life from a child to an adult, that there are many changes that take place through that time, and many decisions that have to be made during that course. And in most of the cases that I have found, we feel like we have no one to really help us answer the questions of what to do in the toughest situations and what direction to go when life throws you hard turns.

I wish that I could sit here and begin to tell everyone under the sound of my voice that life is going to be perfect for you from this day forward, and that you are never going to face anything that is going to be of any hardship, but that is something I cannot do. I wish that I could say that you are never going to have to face hard times financially, or face issues at home, or even at your work place. I wish that I could say that everything in your life was going to be easy street, and all you had to do was enjoy it.

One of the tougher lessons that I have learned about the life that we live is that you cannot change the trials ahead, nor can we predict what tomorrow holds. If we could, life would be a much easier thing to manage.

There are many of you out there today, who need God to move in a big way for your loved ones, whether it be to save them for the first time, or to save them from deaths door, to deliver them from the chains of bondage, or to free them from the perils of sin. Whatever the case may be, I’m here to tell you that you are not alone. I want you to know today that there are people that are still out there in this world, that are still praying for God to save, to heal, to set free, to do all the things that we need God to do in their lives.

My message to all of you out there today is that God is able to move for you, regardless of what you are going through, if you are willing to step up and put all that it takes behind it.

Matthew 21:18-22 Speaks of Jesus in Bethany

[18] Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
[19] And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
[20] And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
[21] Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
[22] And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

If I could say anything to you that could be of some encouragement, it would be to get yourself out of the mind of the popular opinion; the belief that would make you say that there is no hope for them, the belief that would make you say that they are never going to change, the belief that would make you say that things will never be any different.

Things changed for you, right? God moved in your life to get you where you are today, right?

God delivered you from a great measure of things, things that you are aware of, and countless things that haven’t even crossed your mind.

I know what God has brought me through, and every time I count the cost that my Savior sacrificed for me, it’s enough to remind me to continue to believe that there is hope for anyone out there who needs it, who needs that great miracle. It CAN happen. It IS POSSIBLE.

Don’t give up on your cause to see these things through. If anything, get even stronger in the fight. Take even more time to call out their names in prayer. Make the extra effort to invite them to church face-to-face, and not just through a phone call. Go above and beyond the call of duty, and truly show them how bad you want them there, and show God how bad that you want this mountain moved out of their way.

We at Heart of Grace are praying for all of you to go forward and not backward in your walk with God that all churches in this community, regardless of your denomination or your belief, start realizing the true need that is surrounding us. It doesn’t matter what sign you have on your door; get out there and show people the love of God in your heart, and lead them to Christ. Help them to find the strength and refuge that they truly need. It’s not about what we think is best anymore, it’s about what the people need, they are out there empty handed and empty hearted, and they need a Savior.

And we have a Savior that is more than able. We serve a God that is more than able to move in these things. We have a God that is all-powerful, and can move in their situations, and start changing their lives, and saving them once and for all. Join us in getting out there, and truly becoming fishers of men. God is able!