Romans 2 Practice What You Preach

Read Romans 2

This passage basically is in two sections -- God's Wrath and the Jews and the Law. But the summary for us today seems to be, will you live as you say you are?

Verses 1-16 teach us that the wrath of God is supreme. He is the judge, period. But how often do we act as judge and jury of others when we are committing sin against the Father? (See 2:1-4) God's reward is going to come on all men "who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality...." (2:7)

The second part reminds us that we must live under the law but more importantly, under the circumcision of the heart. (vs 12-29) Our lives must be examples, not talking heads. We have to model the law to uphold it.

I was raised in the church. I know the lingo. I know the theology. I know the doctrine. But the question is do I model what I teach? Am I living in the physical circumcision or in the circumcision of the heart? And if I am living the law only, then I am judging others who are not following the law and missing the entire objective myself.

What is that objective? To love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and to love my neighbor as myself. (Mark 12:30-31 paraphrased) That life involves living under the law with the power of the heart in action. I cannot straddle the two; they must be a joint venture. One without the other makes me either a pharisee or a hippy. I can't be bound alone by law, and in the same vein I can't just be spreading meaningless "love." I can only live out the powerful love of our Lord while living under His direction.

And both of these practices - living the law and living in love must be covered by grace. It is through grace that I see my own unworthiness and am humbled. And in that humility, I can extend grace to others who are also unworthy rather than burdening them with judgment. Judging others will only bring destruction to them and to myself. Living by grace does not condone their actions any more than it condones my sin. But grace allows us to love others within their sin. And maybe, just maybe, they will turn from their sin because they have seen love and grace lived out through me.

Lord, guide me to walk under Your laws and live under Your grace with an open heart to others who are just as broken as I am. So be it.

Further Thoughts:

1. What does living under the law truly mean?
2. Define grace with Scripture.
3. Examine your heart - has it been circumcised? What is standing in the way?

Matthew 11:28-30 Perspective

Matthew 11:28-30 The Message (MSG)

^28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

You may not recognize this passage in The Message, but it is where Jesus says to join Him because His burden is light.

I love how this version stated Jesus' invitation to join Him. To get His perspective. To walk in His directives, not in my own. To learn from Him.

I especially love the line, "Learn the unforced rhythms of grace."

Being a follower of Jesus does not have to be labor intensive. But it must be intentional. Living as Christ lived is not easy, but it is freeing. Too often I can get caught in the "immediate." What do I have to do today for work? Who needs me to be where? What spinning plate have I let fall? And I forget to maintain perspective. If I would just look at what is happening in the world around me - near and far - I would begin to see my little "to do" list in a different light.

God calls me to work - but my job is not my most important "occupation." God calls me to be available to others. But my most important relationship is with Him. God calls me to diligence. But are all my plates God-appointed?

Jesus is calling me to walk alongside of Him and only Him in everything I do. I want to walk with Him and learn the unforced rhythms of grace. 

Father, teach me to remain focused on You and not the immediate. To grasp the power of Your Presence and not the pull of my calendar. Train me in the way of the unforced rhythms of grace so I may be more like you. So be it.

Further Thoughts:

1. In what ways have you lost perspective? How do you regain it?
2. How do you maintain "life" and keep your focus on Jesus?
3. What does it truly mean to live in the unforced rhythms of grace? 

 

1 John 19 "God is Just and Perfect Grace"

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ~1 John 1:9

The justice of God depends upon a transgression being made right. A price must be paid for sin and He paid it. The atonement made on the cross covers anything we have done against the Lord. Nothing is exempt. Therefore, we are only left with the responsibility to humble ourselves and confess the sins we have committed and turn away from our transgressions.

Although we may have to deal with some consequences of sin, the punishment is paid for. Redemption is undeserved and filled with the amazing grace of our Lord. Even in all our wretchedness, without any call for rightfully deserving it, He offers His grace to cover our sins with His atoning blood. What greater gift was ever given to put all things right again.

Further Thoughts:

1. Do you ever feel like God is unfair? Why?
2. Why are there still consequences for sin even when they have been forgiven?
3. How have you experienced God’s amazing grace?
4. How do we live out justice and grace in our own lives?

Father, thank You that you are just and full of grace. Without Your grace I would still be living in my wretched sin. You are truly amazing. Amen.

2 Timothy 1:9 "A Way to Make Us Worthy"

…who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time…. ~2 Timothy 1:9

We are all sinners. Romans 3:23 says, “For we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” We can choose to be good people, but that will not pay the price for our sins nor will it make us worthy to be in the presence of God. We are only made worthy through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Matthew 10:38 says, “…and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Our worth is not by anything we do but by who we choose to be. Just as he called the disciples to follow Him, in the same way Christ is calling us to follow Him with our life.

Surrender of the heart is a very difficult action. We want to guard ourselves from submitting to anyone. Our natural tendency is for self-preservation and self-control. In other words, we want to be our own God. But if we surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and accept the unearned gift He is offering, then and only then will we be worthy to enter into a relationship with the Father. It’s the grace of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice that makes us worthy.

Further Thoughts:

1. Why did God choose to be in relationship with me?
2. Am I made worthy to be in His presence? Why or why not?
3. Am I choosing daily to take up my cross and follow Him? If yes, in what ways? If no, why not?
4. Relationships take work. Am I willing to become all God wants me to be? If not, what is hindering me?

Father, You did all You needed to do to make me worthy to be in a relationship with You. Now I choose to be the person I need to be. Amen.

Genesis 2:4-7 "We Are God's Creation"

“This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens- 5 and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground, 6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground- the LORD God formed the from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” ~ Genesis 2:4-7 NIV

For centuries, two great questions have been 1)Where do I come from? and 2) What is my purpose here? We’ll deal with the second question later. First, we need to realize that we are God’s creation. He created everything around us – the earth, the air, the stars, the sun, trees, plants, animals, right down to single-celled creatures. But His greatest creation was man and woman.

How do we know that we are his greatest creation? Why are we not equal with baboons and other animals? There are two answers to that. First, He “… breathed into his [Adam] nostrils the breath of life….” (vs. 7) Nothing else in all creation received its life from the breath of the Almighty. His personal mark was placed upon man and literally gave him life.

Secondly, we know that we rank highest in God’s creation because we were made in His likeness. Genesis 1:26 says, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air….” You are made in the image of God – not in a physical way, but in the characteristics and very essence of God. That makes you valuable and loved by the Almighty Creator of the Universe.

Further Thoughts:

1. Do you believe you are special and loved by the Almighty? Why or why not?
2. Have there been lies spoken to you in your past that have made you believe you are unloved or unwanted? If yes, how?
   
3. What Scripture mentioned here refutes those lies?
4. How does God’s creation plan show you that you are loved?

Pray: Father, thank you for creating me with such love and care. Teach me to live in that love because I am made in Your image and You gave me life. Amen.

Colossians 4:7-11 "Reconciliation"

Read Colossians 4:7-11.

"My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas." NIV

Paul is giving his final greetings as he closes this letter to the church at Colosse. Casually read, no lessons may seem to pop out from these last twelve verses. However, I've found six lessons I think we will focus on over the next few days. It's amazing what you can learn from goodbyes.

Paul sends greetings from Mark. Now what is interesting about this is Paul and Mark had a fallout previously. You see Mark referred to as Mark, John Mark, and John. They are all the same person that wrote the second gospel, Mark, and is the cousin of Barnabas. If you look in Acts 13:13, John Mark leaves the missionary group to go back to Jerusalem. There is speculation about his reasons for leaving. Some think he left because he was homesick for Jerusalem, while others believe it was because of change of the plan due to Paul's illness or change of leadership from Barnabas to Paul. Whatever the reason was, Paul seems to have taken it personally. In Acts 15:37-40 Paul and Barnabas get into a disagreement about Mark joining them. Paul is so against Mark coming because "he had deserted them in Pamphylia" that Barnabas takes Mark and goes one way while Paul takes Silas and goes another.

They have obviously worked out their differences by the writing of this letter and also the letter to Philemon, where Paul sends his greetings from Mark. In fact, five years later in 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul instructs Timothy to "get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry."

So what do we learn from this relationship between Paul and Mark? Three things -- sometimes others will seem to desert us; some will work to restore relationships; there is always the hope of reconciliation.

One thing I've learned in the ministry is that because people are at various levels of commitment to Christ, some will stay through thick and thin and some will go. Mark obviously was struggling on some level. Maybe he and Paul had a personality conflict or maybe he really was homesick. Some people will just push through the personal feelings to accomplish the mission. But not everyone is capable of or at the right place in their life to do that. And we as believers need to give the grace needed at that time for them to work through their "stuff."

Barnabas (the Encourager) worked hard to restore Paul and Mark's relationship. He defended Mark and tried to show Paul the value of bringing him along. But Paul had lost some trust in Mark and his devotion to the mission. I can't blame Paul. Having been "burned" before, I can understand not wanting to jump into the fire again. But sometimes, we need to listen to those around us to give us a better, less personal, perspective on a situation. Barnabas was that voice. But Paul needed more time.

We don't know how the reconciliation happened, but by this letter and the letter to Philemon, Mark was back to work with Paul as a valued ministry partner. There is always hope to reconcile a relationship if both parties are willing to compromise a little. Paul needed to afford a little more grace, and Mark needed to step up to the plate. Evidently, they met in the middle. For those of us who are all about the ministry at whatever cost, it's difficult to give grace to those who just don't seem to get it. Sacrifice is always involved to accomplish something worthwhile, and self-centered thinking will get in the way every time. On the other hand, we need to let people walk their own journey -- some taking longer than others. Hopefully, somewhere down the line, we are working together for the common goal of the kingdom. It will just take patience and perseverance to get there.

Further Thoughts:

1. Read through the various passages sited, as well as, some of the book of Mark to get a better perspective on the situation.
2. Are you sold out to the mission of Christ or still dragging your heels? You will not find a perfect ministry, but you can determine to work hard, remain loyal, and stay true to the ministry you are in. The main goal is reaching people for Christ. Everything else is superfluous.
3. Do you have a conflict with someone in leadership over you? Go to them and talk it out. One part of the body cannot fight another part and the body survive.
4. Are you struggling with dealing with uncommitted believers? Ask God for more grace and then go bring that person alongside of you. Mentor them into a stronger relationship with God and the mission of the Church.

Colossians 1:21-23 "Evil of the Mind"

Read Colossians 1:21-23.

"Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior." NIV

I'm fascinated by the phrase, "enemies in your minds." What exactly does that mean? Sin separated us from God. That's the alienation part. But what about the second part? We were enemies "in our minds" because of our evil behavior.

What does evil behavior do to our minds? Or more clearly, what do our minds do to cause us to have evil behavior? Why does a child choose to lie? Why will a teenager rebel? What happens in the mind to promote adultery?

All sin is essentially acts of selfishness. Therefore, we think of ourselves in an autonomous manner. Or better said, as our own god. The highest authority, in our minds, that we should have to answer to is our self. So if what I want to do pleases me, then in my mind, it is acceptable behavior because, as my own god, I determine what is right and what is wrong.

Now we have a huge spectrum for people to fall on. Some sin on what would be considered a "small basis." Maybe they tell a few lies or cheat a little on their taxes. Then we have the extreme of a psychopath murdering rampantly. I suppose then, the difference between the two is just how much the enemy was able to infiltrate each of their minds. The one opened a few doors while the other gave the enemy carte blanche to every area of their psyche.

So it boils down to guarding our minds from the enemy and his temptations to sin, his schemes of selfishness, and the perceived pleasures that we could experience. If we open our minds to him, we are not our own god; he is our god.

But out of God's amazing love, He gave us a way out of the abyss. Darkness does not have to win, and no matter how deep we have allowed our mind to travel into it, the light can penetrate. We can choose to turn away from the lies and allow the Father to restore our broken relationship. What grace.

Further Thoughts:

1. Do you consciously protect your mind from the temptations and infiltration of the enemy? If not, why?
2. How do we protect our mind? (Support with Scripture and practical steps.)
3. Is anyone beyond the capability of evil behavior?
4. How do we make sure we don't fall into that trap?
5. How has your mind been reconciled to God?

2 Peter 1:1-11 "Adding to Faith, Part 2"

Read 2 Peter 1-11.

"For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure...." NIV

For Part 1, read here.

"to perseverance, godliness:" So often people see godliness as something to strive for. If I do enough good things, I will be like God. If I read my Bible more, if I pray more, I will be godlier. While all these things are good and need to happen, godliness comes from being, not doing. It's being surrendered to Him. Being unselfish. Being a child of the King. Being open to whatever He has for my life. Being faith-filled. I can strive and strive and never make myself like God. But if I surrender to His Spirit within me and follow His lead -- knowing His character -- I can at least become a dull reflection of His beauty and love.

"to godliness, brotherly kindness:" Brotherly kindness is loving the believers around us. They are our family -- forever. It doesn't matter what denomination or what town they live in, we have a bond between us that must be nurtured. There is no room for envy or competition, bickering or hatred. We should all be working toward the same goal and doing it with kindness and love between us. When a brother hurts, we hurt with them. When they rejoice, we throw the party. When they are in need, we do all we can to meet their need. When they struggle, we afford them grace and help guide them back to the Truth. We can't run this race alone. We need each other to finish well.

"to brotherly kindness, love." The Lord has been impressing on me more and more to love others better. How do we love? Seeing others with the eyes of the Father. All people are His creation and He loves His children dearly. He desires that none should be lost but come to a saving knowledge of Him. If we can just look at others -- really look at them -- with grace-filled, loving eyes, we will see people who are hurting, confused, blinded who need to know Jesus. And since I may be the only "Jesus" they ever see, I need to love them fully. This takes a lot of selflessness. It's setting aside biases and judgements through which I may be tempted to filter my love. Loving with abandon in whatever way others need it to be. Whether they need help financially, help with children, moral support, friendship, or even just a kind word and smile, I need to be ready to give. My Lord is the author and embodiment of pure love and His Spirit can love through me if I am willing to be used. Lord, open my eyes to the need. I am willing. 

Further Thoughts:

1. What of today's attributes do I need to work on more? Is God putting me in situations where I can exercise more godliness, brotherly kindness, or love? How will I do that?
   
2. Find Old Testament people who did each of these really well. What distinguished them in this attribute?
   
3. How did Jesus embody all of these attributes. Do a study and list an example for each of these seven virtues.
   
4. How are all these virtues related to our faith? (see vs. 5)
   

1 Peter 5:12-14 "Standing Fast"

Read 1 Peter 5:12-14.

"... true grace of God. Stand fast in it." NIV

That phrase, "Stand fast in it" really caught my attention. What does it mean to "stand fast" in something?

Here are some definitions of "standing fast":

• to make firm, fix, establish
  
• to uphold or sustain the authority or force of anything
  
• to set or place in a balance
  
• to stand immovable, stand firm
  
• stand unharmed, to stand ready or prepared
  
• to be of a steadfast mind
  
• of quality, one who does not hesitate, does not waver
  

The grace of God is a gift that we must hold tightly to -- firmly, fixed, established -- never wavering and without hesitation. We must always be ready to defend God's grace and His authority in our life. His grace provides balance in a chaotic world. By His grace I cannot be moved or harmed, and I am prepared and ready to face whatever the enemy throws at me. By His grace I have a mind that is firm in belief, determination, loyalty, and faithfulness. All because of His true grace, I am sustained.

I can owe nothing to my own abilities or anyone else's. He is my hope and rock forever and forever. Amen.

Further Thoughts:

1. Do a word study of "grace."
   
2. Have you been wavering in your stand on grace? Why? Are you spending time with the Grace-giver? You can't spend time with Him -- good concentrated time -- and not be convinced of His grace.
   
3. Do you need to extend His grace to someone else?

James 4:1-10 "Submit and Listen"

Read James 4:1-10.

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you." NIV

Here's how to live the Christian life in a nutshell. Every component you need is right here in these three little sentences. Yes, we've seen it in "Love the Lord your God with all you heart...." and "Love your neighbor...." But here it is broken down alittle more.

"Submit yourselves, then, to God." The Greek for submit used here means:
to arrange under, to subordinate
to subject, put in subjection
to subject one's self, obey
to submit to one's control
to yield to one's admonition or advice
to obey, be subject

This is full surrender to His lordship. Placing God in complete control of your life and obeying His commands. He is the master and I am the servant in every area of my life. No options, no pulling anything back, no saying "no" to His leading. Really, if we do this everything else will fall into place. But let's break it down even more.

"Resist the devil and he will flee." Even the most surrendered will be tempted by the enemy. Therefore, we must always be battle-ready to resist his enticements. And speak it out loud. Remember, the enemy can't read your thoughts. There is amazing power in the spoken word. Make him flee with your voice and the authority God has given you over the enemy. If you claim that authority, he truly has no power over you.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." I don't know how often I have heard believers say that God has left them. That is completely unbiblical. God said He will never leave us or forsake us. If we think God has left, in actuality, we have left or God is just being silent. (He does that sometimes. I don't know why expect maybe to test our faith.) But the truth remains, God is always with us and always in control. If we are not "feeling" Him, we may not getting still enough to hear. Again and again when I have believers tell me of the chaos and confusion they are feeling, they've stopped having their time alone with God. It's like trying to use your cell phone day after day without ever recharging the battery. After a day or two you have no power to draw from and the chaos of the world begins to take over your thinking.

Get solidly connected to the Lord DAILY. Draw near to His sweet presence. And the quarrels, selfish desires, worries, worldly enticements will all just fade away. Your compass will once again have found true north.

Further Thoughts:

1. So many people in the Bible took time away to be with the Lord. Look at the life of Moses, David, the prophets, and Jesus. They all sought God's face regularly. They truly knew the source of their strength.
2. Do you need to recalibrate your compass. Take some time away with the Lord. His presence is the answer to every need you may have. The difficulties don't all go away, but when placed in His capable hands, you don't have to worry or fret anymore and peace is restored.
3. Watch this video and listen to the David Crowder Band, "Come and Listen"

Matthew 27:27-44

Read Matthew 27:27-44.

"Those who passed by hurled insults at him...." NIV

The flogging, the mockery, crown of thorns and taunts. He endured them all silently. Did He ever want to call down the armies of heaven and command the natural forces of the earth to take revenge on these ignorant people? Did He want to destroy them with a single word? Did God have to look away or could He? The same people that were tormenting Jesus were the ones He was sacrificing for. Could they not see that? Did they ever taunt and torment the lamb they had layed on the altar of sacrifice? Do they not see the tremendous gift of grace and mercy He is giving them? Do we?

My heart is grieved over the blindness that sin brings on humanity. And we've allowed it to happen.

Lord, open the eyes of man to see Your sacrifice in all it's horrendousness and beauty.

Further Thoughts:

1. Imagine the punishment you should have received for your sins. Then take some time today thanking Him for His sacrifice.

Matthew 18:21-35 "Grace Giving"

Read Matthew 18:21-35.

"Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?" NIV

This is such a difficult lesson to keep in the forefront of my thinking. When someone has sinned against me, unfortunately, the last thing I think of first is that I should show mercy. My first inclination is to be angry, hurt, lash back. And I'm certainly not considering the mercy God showed me at that moment. Again, this is worse with those closest to me. If I don't know someone and they sin against me, I tend to have a lot more mercy and grace.

So how do I keep from lashing out and start showing the same mercy to others that God showed to me? I believe it comes from spending time with Him. I thought I'd had almost daily devotion times for the last 13 years. But after I started this blog in April, I realized how many days I would miss. The blog has become a sort of accountability for me to be consistent in my times with the Lord. Now, if for whatever reason I miss a day or two, I feel it deep within me. I yearn to get back to Him. Part of this is because I am more acutely aware of my sinfulness and dependence on God's presence and instruction in my life. The longer I spend with Him, the more glaring my faults. You can't sit at the feet of perfection day after day and not start seeing your flaws stand out in stark contrast. Therefore, I do believe that in the last seven months, I have grown in grace and mercy. Still a long way to go -- but making progress. Even an inch worm makes progress over time.

Further Thoughts:

1. I always come back to Joseph as such an example of grace and mercy. Have you noticed He's my favorite OT mentor. Can't wait to meet him someday. What were some ways that Joseph exemplified grace and mercy?
2. Do you feel you have to have justice in every situation? Why is that? Maybe one act of grace is letting some hurts just roll off your back.
3. Look up Scriptures on "grace" and "mercy." What is the Lord saying to you about these two virtues? What active steps is He leading you to take?

Matthew 7:7-12 "Ask...Seek...Knock...."

Read Matthew 7:7-12.

"For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." NIV

I really hate when this verse is misused to expect prosperity and riches here on this earth. I can't believe that God works that way. Money is just money and some people use it well and others do not. Riches are a temporal pleasure and sometimes a curse.

Christ always rises above the temporal to teach us a much greater truth while at the same time meeting our earthly needs. Much of this passage takes us back to 6:9-13 in Jesus' lesson on how to pray. This passage is showing the result of praying in that vein.

ASK: If we ask according to God's will with a humbled, surrendered heart to His direction, we will receive what we ask for. Now, granted, sometimes the Lord blesses us with excess, but that is a free gift. It's not something we've earned or even deserve, but receive out of His great mercy. We also must see the answers He gives to our requests through His eyes. For example, I pray that my child will recover from a serious illness. I pray believing that God can heal. But that may not be according to the Lord's plan, and we must keep in mind that this is a temporal existence. Death is not the end, but for the believer, only the beginning -- the perfect healing. Our grief here is but for a short time compared to eternity. Those answers from the Lord may seem harsh and unloving, but that is where our surrender and faith in Him must prevail -- even in the harshest circumstances.

SEEK: Recently I was having a discussion with a couple friends about the theology of a worship song that was asking God to come closer to me. The fact is, He can't be any closer to me than He is right now. He never moves. I'm the only one who walks away from Him or shuts Him out of an area of my life. If I seek Him, He is ALWAYS there. Never failing, never ignoring. Granted, we've all experienced periods of God's silence. Sometimes our prayers feel like they are hitting the ceiling and going no further. But the Lord has not left. He will reveal Himself in His own time for His own purposes and glory. Meanwhile, our faith must remain strong and sure through the waiting.

KNOCK: Christ's grace and mercy are always available to us. We will never be turned away. His love is never ending. If we refuse to live in that grace-filled life, we will suffer consequences. Some of them can last a lifetime. But when we humbling, repentantly fall on our knees at the throne of Christ, we are received with open arms every time. It doesn't matter what we've done; where we've been, He will take us as we are and show us the potential of where we can go. The door will always be opened if we simply have faith and choose to knock.

Isn't His mercy and love absolutely amazing?! Thank you, Father, that you care about the minutest part of my life, and the big life-changing moments. You amaze me, and I praise You with all my heart, soul, mind, and spirit as my Lord and Savior, Master and King. Amen.

Further Thoughts:

1. Where do our blessings come from? Read James 1:17.
2. Have you been asking for something, but not received it? Re-examine your asking. Is it in line with God's Word. Maybe it's not His will or the right timing. Sometimes, His answer is "no."
3. Are you in a place that you feel like God has left you? Turn around, He's right there. What in your life is hindering you knowing His presence? Are you spending time in His Word, solitude, prayer and meditation? Are you giving Him a chance to talk to you or do you take up all the time talking to Him? Maybe you need to give Him some conversation time and do so with an open heart to His will. Read Deuteronomy 31:6 and Luke 21:37.
4. Have you yielded to temptation and sinned against God? He's waiting at the door to extend His forgiveness through grace and mercy. He's never stopped loving you and is waiting patiently for your return. Read Romans 3:23, 6:23, 2 Peter 3:9, and 1 John 1:9.

Ephesians 1:8

"...in accordance with the riches of God's grace (8) that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding." NIV

I love the word "lavished," especially when it is referring to God's grace. It's such a graphic word. He doesn't just give me grace or extend grace to me. He abundantly covers me in it from head to toe. There is no part of me from which He will hold back His grace. And the amazing thing is -- He does it with "all wisdom and understanding." He knows I do not deserve His grace. He knows I will fail Him multiple times. And yet He doesn't give it out in portions that match my present spiritual state. He lavishes. Thank You, Father, for Your amazing grace lavished on a wretched sinner like me. Help me to lavish others with Your grace.

Further Thoughts:
1. Using a concordance, look up scriptures with the word "grace." Meditate on the graciousness of God and express thanks.
2. When was the last time you "lavished" grace on someone?
3. List ways this week you can "lavish" grace on others.
4. Read Romans 16:20 as my prayer for you. Praise Him for His grace.

Ephesians 1:7

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace...." NIV

The gospel in its simplest form -- clear and straight forward. Because of my sin and the sins of the world, a sacrifice had to be made to atone for them. A price must always be paid for sin. But Jesus chose to become the sacrificial lamb for us so that through His blood, I am free of the guilt and punishment of my sin.

The price has been paid, and I am forgiven. But this only occurred because of "the riches of God's grace." I did not deserve the sacrifice. I did nothing to earn it. In fact, just the opposite -- I chose through sin to oppose God's laws. I chose the path of death and separation from Him. But He loved me so much, even in my sinful state, to make a way for me. Glory to His name. How can I do anything else but praise and serve Him? His love deserves no less.

Further Thoughts:
1. What is the definition of atonement?
2. What process did God establish in the Old Testament for the atonement of sins? (See Leviticus 16)
3. Compare and contrast the process in Leviticus 16 to Jesus' death.
4. Who is now our high priest and what biblical evidence do we have of that? (See Luke 23:45 and Hebrews 10:19-23)
5. Read or recite John 3:16 then give thanks and worship Him.