Disciples of Grace Today

  How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How Long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed against him"; lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But, I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me. - Psalm 13   During the Olympic Games we watched one of the world's greatest Gymnast, Simone Biles, sit out most of the competition. Simone was suffering from a condition that Gymnasts call The Twisties. It's comparable to when a pilot suffers from Spatial Disorientation (SD). Spatial Disorientation is when a pilot can't properly determine the airspeed, altitude or  aircraft attitude in relation to the earth. In some cases pilots c...

  By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going - Hebrews 11:8 I think it's safe to say that we've all been in the car with someone who was confident in where they were going, but was often second guessed and interrogated or directed by someone in the passenger seats.  Every time I read this verse I think of being in the car with my grandparents, Ethel and McElery aka Mom and Daddy Mac or just Mac for short. Mac enjoyed driving, unless it was a long trip with Mom. Mom was never sure about the routes Mac would take. She always gave advice and pointed out different exits and turns he should take. Mac would politely respond with a "Yes dear." and continue on the way he was going. If her directing got too bad he'd just turn up the radio.  I liked watching my grandfather plan for long trips. Keep in mind this was before Map Quest, Google and GPS. He would start...

Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of The Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are you Lord?" Then the Lord said, "Iam Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads." So he, trembling and astonished said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" - Acts 9:1-6 (NKJV) Yes, it's true I AM NO APOSTLE PAUL! Far from it. There are times when I struggle to remember John 3:16! Nevertheless, when it comes to conversion stories in scripture Paul's resonates the most with me. Knowing that we have all sinned and therefore fall short...

  all photo credits Storm Knight "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life" - Proverbs 13:12 We don't like to think of God saying no. It seems more comforting to say He didn't answer but such a statement makes Him out to be a liar and He is not. You and I have never prayed a prayer that God has not heard and answered. Our problem is we don't like the answer. More often than not God answers us in a way that's very different than what our imaginations can conjure up and depending on how it plays out to us we think of that as a good thing or a not so good thing.  Ever since I was a child I'd been in love with the news. I knew that's what I wanted to do when I grew up. I was so entrenched with it, that for punishment my mom would make me watch cartoons or go outside and play with other children. I ordered my entire life toward becoming a Producer in Television and Radio but, it never really took off like I thought it w...

 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven - Matthew 5:10 Persecution. Certainly not something we would categorize as a blessing or associate with happiness, but Jesus does and he does so with intent. As he continues his teaching he doesn't let up, he actually doubles down on this truth in the verses that follow and his delivery only gets stronger as he moves on through this 3 chapter sermon (Matthew 5-7) letting us know that God fully expects us to live this way and knowing that we can't. This sermon is designed, like the Law of Moses, to get us to cry out for help. He also lets us know that as we proclaim Truth persecution will follow. As one Pastor has noted, "If you stay silent, you stay safe. If you proclaim The Gospel and live out your faith, persecution will come, because persecution will always accompany proclamation.". This truth is seen throughout scripture from Genesis to Revelation but Hebrews giv...

Sknight Luna 2019 Who is this, who looks down like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, awesome as an army with banners? - Song of Solomon 6:10 Oh, how I LOVE this passage of scripture. It has been a constant reminder to me of how God sees me. The Song of Solomon is the passionate pursuit of each other by two lovers. It's a husband and wife and in a New Testament context it is Christ and His Church, because that's what marriage is an ultimate picture of (Ephesians 5:22-33). Chapter 6 in the ESV (English Standard Version) Translation has as its sub title "Lovers in the Garden of Love." The whole of the Song of Solomon is a conversation between the groom, the bride and their guests or others. It's a fascinating read and the original language will leave you blushing.  However, this morning I found myself pondering this passage in a different light. It's early in the year and while I made no resolutions and set no particular goals in my life I did t...