Sinner Saved by Grace

Ain't nothing special about me. I'm just like you. I struggle. I get mad. I cuss from time to time. People piss me off. I have bad days. I doubt. I love. I laugh. I cry. I drink a  little every now and then. I love coffee. My kids and husband are my heart.

The only difference is that when God sees me instead of my sin, He sees the blood of Jesus.

I think people think that when you get saved you become perfect. That is a crock of bull! I will never be perfect. However, when I am in the midst of all that life brings I am never walking it alone. Jesus is always walking with me.

There is comfort in knowing that I don't walk alone.

I still am a sinner and always will be. My salvation doesn't stop my sinning, it allows me access to God in spite of my sin. I am not immune to bad things happening. Good things do not magically happen to me all the time. I am not rich and I am not happy all the time. All I did was accept God's gift of forgiveness and salvation. I've latched on to His promise to never leave me. I've latched on to His promise that He would supply my needs. I've latched on to His promise that there is something so much better than this world. And this gives me the joy, peace, patience, happiness and fight to keep living until God ends my journey on this earth.

I'm just a regular, ordinary sinner saved by grace. And living under His mercy. Holding on to His unchanging hand. He hasn't failed me yet.

Praise Break - Ghost Town (Freedom)

The earth was new, a great frontier

The perfect place to spread his fear

So satan set up shop to draw them in

Bright lights to display all his wares

"Come on in, forget your cares"

That devil knew just how to package sin

People came from far and wide

Not a guilty soul denied

But before they knew they'd been deceived

They'd step inside and never leave

They said his eyes were black as coal

His voice a shudder to the soul

He preyed upon the broken and the proud

He told them they were lost for good

No one loved them and who would

Before too long he owned that fallen town

And from inside the gates they'd wail:

Who can save us from this hell?

And as their hopes turned into tears

He laughed and all his demons stood and cheered

Then down a dirt road from the east

Came one, they said, could slay the beast

But did not fight with bullets or a sword

They called him Mercy and at his side

A thousand angels chose to ride

And as they moved, the ground, like thunder, roared

Stepping down from his white horse

And with a supernatural force

He spoke to his demonic foe

"I'm here to keep the law so let them go"

But that great deceiver only grinned

As his demons rallied to defend

He said: "The price of justice must be paid!"

So Mercy, rising from his seat

Showed them all his hands and feet

And said: "I am the lamb that was slayed"

Then the demons and their thief

Shook their heads in disbelief

And began to writhe upon the ground

When they saw he held the keys to their ghost town

Then one by one the slaves began to shout

And the captives found their way out

Mercy broke the chains and they cried out:

Freedom

Freedom

Freedom

Mercy broke the chains and they cried out:

Freedom

Freedom

Freedom

Then one by one the slaves began to shout

And the captives found their way out

Mercy broke the chains and they cried out:

Freedom

Freedom

Freedom

Mercy broke the chains and they cried out:

Freedom

Freedom

Freedom

Then one by one the slaves began to shout

And the captives found their way out

Mercy broke the chains and they cried out:

Freedom

Freedom
Freedom

HALLELUJAH!

The Unlikely Missionary

DHW

Freedom

Its easy to feel like you are a slave to your circumstances. Not too long ago I was feeling that way and sitting in it. Being weighed down by despair, pity, disappointment, anger, frustration. Allowing those things to poison my mind and spirit. And then I made the choice to be free. My situation hasn't changed but my outlook, my response, the way I live in that situation has.

I've chosen freedom.

God has set you free. Jesus died so that you can be free and the Father gives you the opportunity to choose to accept that freedom or live in captivity.

We have bought the lie that Satan says that we don't have a choice. That there is no way to live victorious even in the worst of circumstances. It is his way to limit our power. He knows that if we get caught up in what we can see and lose hope he has effectively halted our growth, our praise, our worship, our ability to be resilient. He knows that if we let joy, hope, passion, praises, gratefulness, optimism to bubble up inside of us we will be a mighty force for good.

Today I ask you to choose to be free. Don't hold on to what people have told you about yourself. Don't hold on to our crazy government. Don't hold on to what the world says success is. Don't hold on to the hurts, the pain, the crazy, messed up stuff people have done and said to you. Don't hold on to lies that steal your joy and distract.

Be free. Satan wants to hold us in a Ghost Town where we are shells of ourselves but Jesus holds the keys. He has already defeated the bad thoughts, the pain, the messed up situations, all the bad ish. We are free in spite of all that has transpired before, now and in the future. We are free.

Step into the liberty that God has given you. Shout...

Freedom

Freedom

Freedom

It is your choice. Accept God's love, healing, forgiveness, gifts... freedom.

I leave this with you. The man who wrote most of the New Testament, encouraging Christ followers to press on, to trust God, to step into the freedom that God's salvation affords, to not grow weary - spent most of that time a captive, in prison.

Paul is a great reminder that our bodies being held captive does not mean we are enslaved. When we die we leave this body behind. Our soul is what will meet God in glory. If we make up our mind to be free in Christ, WE ARE FREE!

Jesus, when He died said it is finished. Hallelujah! They thought they had captured Him, silenced Him, defeated Him but Jesus made the choice to die and when He was ready, when all was accomplished, then and only then is when He died.

Live in freedom. Today and everyday. Mercy broke the chains of (insert any and everything here). Don't put them back on.

The Unlikely Missionary

DHW

Praise Break - He's ALIVE!

HALLELUJAH!

The gates and doors were barred 

And all the windows fastened down 

I spent the night in sleeplessness 

And rose at every sound 

Half in hope of sorrow 

And half in fear the day 

Would find the soldiers breakin' through 

To drag us all away 

And just before the sunrise 

I heard something at the wall 

The gate began to rattle 

And a voice began to call 

I hurried to the window 

Looked down into the street 

Expecting swords and torches 

And the sound of soldiers' feet 

But there was no one there but Mary 

So I went down to let her in 

John stood there beside me 

As she told me where she'd been 

She said they've moved Him in the night 

And none of us know where 

The stone's been rolled away 

And now His body isn't there 

We both ran towards the garden 

Then John ran on ahead 

We found the stone and empty tomb 

Just the way that Mary said 

But the winding sheet they wrapped Him in 

Was just an empty shell 

And how or where they'd taken Him 

Was more than I could tell 

Oh something strange had happened there 

Just what I did not know 

John believed a miracle 

But I just turned to go 

Circumstance and speculation 

Couldn't lift me very high 

'Cause I'd seen them crucify Him 

Then I saw Him die 

Back inside the house again 

The guilt and anguish came 

Everything I'd promised Him 

Just added to my shame 

When at last it came to choices 

I denied I knew His name 

And even if He was alive 

It wouldn't be the same 

But suddenly the air was filled 

With a strange and sweet perfume 

Light that came from everywhere 

Drove shadows from the room 

And Jesus stood before me 

With His arms held open wide 

And I fell down on my knees 

And I just clung to Him and cried 

Then He raised me to my feet 

And as I looked into His eyes 

The love was shining out from Him 

Like sunlight from the skies 

Guilt in my confusion 

Disappeared in sweet release 

And every fear I ever had 

Just melted into peace 

He's alive yes He's alive 

Yes He's alive and I'm forgiven 

Heaven's gates are open wide 

He's alive yes He's alive 

Oh He's alive and I'm forgiven 

Heaven's gates are open wide 

He's alive He's alive 

Hallelujah He's alive 

He's alive and I'm forgiven 

Heaven's gates are open wide 

He's alive He's alive He's alive 

I believe it He's alive 

Sweet Jesus