Clearing Away the Clutter

Grace Notes-column
How many of us go through life carrying habits, attitudes, and memories, like baggage? 'Clutter' comes in many forms. Past wrongs, and misdeeds we'd like to make amends for. Or, the 'clutter' of old papers, trash and junk mail. If we were to think abut it, the changes that come abruptly into our lives through death, divorce, circumstances, environment or other causes could also be considered 'clutter'.
All concept of waiting has been virtually eliminated from society's culture. We live in an instant, 'I want it now' mindset where everything at every turn must be accomplished immediately. From fast food restaurants to drive-thru grocery stores 'clutter' fills our lives.
As part of the creative process, a writer or an artist will methodically clear a space, wash dishes or remove obstacles from his/her way in preparation for beginning a project.
That is the same way we tend to treat God. We believe if we clean up our lives first we can then approach Him as an equal, not as someone who needs a Savior to clean him/her of sin.
To rid ourselves of all the 'clutter' in our lives we must first recognize there is nothing we can do on our own merits to accomplish this. It can only happen when we accept the 'hand up' offered by God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Through Christ's death, burial and resurrection we have access to God "by grace [we] have been saved through faith; and that not of [our] selves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NASB)
Clearing the 'clutter' this way, is an act not only of faith but of surrender as well. When we surrender our lives (dirty, unkempt, marginally clean or spotlessly perceived), to Christ He will work (moment by moment, hour by hour or day by day) to teach us how to live better.
Just as an artist or writer works in conjunction with an editor or an agent to polish and refine their skills, so Jesus will cleanse, polish and refine us. One mess at a time. This transformation isn't instant or immediate but a life-long sifting process to eliminate the baggage of old habits, problems and/or negative influences that hinder our growth to full maturity.
The most important thing God wants us to remember as we persevere through life: Hope is always available if we look up and reach out to take hold of it.

Come Walk With Me Through Life's Journey
From the dark recessed corners of my mind
they came, like specters, one memory at a time.
Taunting, tormenting and accusing me
of failures, mistakes I'd made, like chains dragging me down eternally.
Grim reminders of a scarred and battered soul
that longed to be clean and whole.
As I huddled in fright,
suddenly I was bathed in iridescent white light
and a voice called to me,"My Child, come here
there is no need to cower in fear.
When I died on Calvary's tree
it was humanity's face I saw before Me.
I gave My life in sacrifice
so you would have the Gift of Eternal Life!
These specters of your past have no power over you
for My Blood covers you."
When understanding dawned
I knew then that all along
God had been there
and I was safely in His care.
He will walk with me hand in hand
as together we faced life's demands
and I would grow in His Grace
as He stretched my faith.
I lift my voice to sing,
Thank you Jesus, you are Lord of Lords and King of Kings!"

Written by:
Belle Anne Leslie

Written on:
January 7, 2005

A Way to Appreciate Pastors...

Grace Notes-column
This week's column is dedicated to all the pastors who are serving Christ faithfully everyday...Thank you!
Below is a link to a wonderful blog by Chuck Swindoll that is written to encourage pastors in their walk with God. I hope y'all enjoy it!

The Pastor's Soul, Role, and Home.: Kingdom Commitment

I'm Grabbing for the Brass Ring!

Grace Notes-column

"At what point was I willing to surrender my unfulfilled dreams? Was there a certain age, timely circumstance or health concern that would prompt me not to pursue them?" Recently, I wrote on this blog about the possibility I might become homeless if I could not find a new place to live.

            The whole process of moving got me to thinking about life and dreams. I realized that as I aged I needed to grab for the brass ring. More than ever, I needed to take risks, to never give up, to sink my teeth into something worthwhile that got my blood pumping, and my heart beating every morning. Life, I discovered, was a learning process, a battleground to be faced and conquered one hope, one dream, and one level at a time. Without the desire to learn, to grow igniting within me I wouldn’t survive and thrive, I would just barely exist.

            I also realized that because my home life was reasonably stable over the last 10 years I had unwittingly allowed my Spirit to become complacent. The truth was the Holy Spirit’s power within me had been lulled to sleep.

            It took the potential possibility I might be homeless for God to wake my Spirit up. He shook my world and while I don't believe He caused the situation, I do believe that out of it He purposed to "give me a future filled with hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).

            How do I know?  Well, I'm happy to report that God did provide for me another place to live. It's actually much better than the apartment I lived in for 10 years. With the new home, God has given me a new urgency to fulfill my mission in life—to serve Him with every breath until He calls me home. For me, Jesus is the same today, as He was over 30 years ago when He ransomed my soul. Tomorrow and for the rest of my life I will worship Him and only Him.

Join me and grab for that brass ring!

“Sink or Swim, I’m Diving In!”

Grace Notes-column

            What we bury in the past often rises to the surface in our present depending on the choices we make. These choices offer direction to either aid us in maturing as believers in Christ or destroy us by robbing us of the power to believe God’s promise that He will always be there to give us a future bright with hope (Jeremiah 29:11-13).

           So God presents us with this decision: we can’t be beacons of hope if we are too filled with the darkness of our sinful past—the rage, lack of forgiveness, and pain harbored deep within—to stand and be the faith filled people who inspire change in the world around us, if we are afraid to face the fears that haunt us.

            The difference between people of courage and people who are heroic is what we choose to do in the midst of our fear.

            If we run and hide we are cowards or maybe smarter than people think. If we stand and confront, stand and fight, we are heroes especially if we are fighting for someone else’s life. The question is, “Are we willing to pay the price to save another person's life, even if it means losing everything, possibly your own life?”

            Let me rephrase the question. ‘Can you live with yourself and your choices if you do nothing?’

            If we lose our life for Christ, we will gain the world, if we choose to keep our life, we will lose our own souls and no one else will witness what we know about Jesus, because they will be too busy scoffing, laughing and condemning us for even trying (Matthew 10:34-42).

Knowing this I choose to dive in, sink or swim, to lose my life for Christ, even though I lose everything. I believe that Hope, which hears the will of God and obeys its commands, is hope that heals a broken spirit and restores a contrite heart.

I choose to fight fear with faith, to believe the best in each other, in God’s Word, but most of all, I will fight with the hope God has imbued me with because I know it will not disappoint.