GRACE BLOGS COLLECTION
Thank God that this past two months is finally over. I am celebrating! In this video I share the difficult things I experienced while working on our new website as well as the steps I took to be able to complete this tough project from a place of rest and peace. This will encourage you […]
The post 3…2…1…Launch! appeared first on Sandra McCollom.
A number of months ago a panel of four of us had a great time recording a program on how to unplug from the pressure of stress on Enjoying Everyday Life, my Mom’s TV program. I hope you thoroughly enjoy this discussion and it helps you enter into a greater level of peace! If you […]
The post Unplug From The Pressure Of Stress (Enjoying Everyday Life TV program) appeared first on Sandra McCollom.
"I've been wanting to ask you, who should I vote for this November?" the young man in the men's group wanted to know.
"I can't tell you and I wouldn’t, but here is what I am doing," I said. "First I am grateful that the election isn’t today. There’s time to evaluate, but mostly to pray. Second, I am praying every day according to the instructions the apostle Paul gave Timothy."
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:1-5)
I know what is God's will for me today. I am to pray for our leaders, and for our country. I must believe that as I do, God will give me wisdom for decisions when the time comes to make them.
There are several important insights that jump out of this text. The first is that God wants to partner with us in the affairs of societal life. We do have responsibility in that realm and it starts with praying. The second is that God delights in our living a quiet and peaceful life. Some have insisted that things must necessarily get worse so that Jesus can come again and rescue some. They are giddily expecting the worst with an eye to escape. Actually, God would rather have people living in peace than in turmoil. Someone who believes it's better for things to deteriorate fast, would find it difficult to pray wholeheartedly for kings and leaders to eliminate problems like corruption and injustice.
The most obvious insight in this text, however, is the connection between leading a quiet and peaceful life and the propagation of the gospel. It isn't just that God wants us to live the good life. He wants the gospel to spread to all people. Societies so corrupted that they forbid the spread of the gospel rob millions of the privilege of hearing the story that changes everything. Of course we know that no walls or edicts can stop the persistent trickle of the gospel from getting through. History is replete with evidence of God’s word flowing into restricted places regardless of governmental regulations. But God wants the spread of the good news to flow like a river, not like a trickle.
But we’re in danger of missing the point. A peaceful and quiet life isn’t an end in itself. God graciously allows it for a purpose.
We are living in a waning stages of a nation that for years enjoyed the fruit of a Judeo-Christian ethic, which came from a biblical worldview. It produced a good life where progress, comfort, and convenience were not only possible, but also attainable. But in recent decades knowledge of the gospel, and adherence to it, has been assumed rather than prioritized. As a result here is not enough salt (see Matt. 5:13-16) to affect the direction of the country.
Quiet and peaceable living cannot long be sustained where the gospel is not central to a society’s beliefs. Laws and regulations cannot eradicate the selfishness in the heart of fearful humans. Without the gospel of Jesus Christ, human relationships become so toxic that tyrants or complex central governments have to step in, and freedom is forfeited -- even religious freedom. We cannot expect our leaders to keep the peace and enable life to flourish if the gospel is not transforming enough people to salt the society. Our prayers for peace and quiet must be connected to the greater purpose of exalting the Savior. Otherwise they become the futile wishes of the foolish.
When we pray we are joining God in accomplishing what is most dear to his heart. Exalting the Son is His purpose and passion. When the Son is lifted up for wandering ones to see, they are changed by His love. As changed people, people who love others, they help build structures that benefit everyone in the culture. When we pray for our leaders we exercise the great privilege of working with God to accomplish his grand purpose. Let's pray that way.
I remember the slogan from my youth. "When you are in a fix, look up Philippians 4:6," so just do it! Here is the command: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (ESV). The Message Bible says, "Don't fret… Read More
The post When You Are In A Fix appeared first on Positive Words.
It really helps me to remember that my battle is not with people, but with the devil and his evil spirits that are holding people captive. It even helps me pray for people with a greater level of compassion when I keep this in mind.
When I pray, I don’t come against the person themselves in prayer, but the spirit of fear, jealousy, control, manipulation, violence, anger, pride, intimidation, depression etc. – whatever that spirit is that seems to be holding that person in bondage.
I pray for myself this way as well. For instance, I might pray, “I bind up this spirit of fear that is trying to hold me captive in this particular area in the name of Jesus. I loose a spirit of peace and calm over my life in this area right now. (see Matthew 16:19) God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (see 2 Timothy 1:7) I receive God’s love afresh for myself and I know His perfect love drives out every fear. (See 1 John 4:18)
Jesus gave us Christians authority over all the power of the enemy! This is really good news!
Colossians 2:15 says, “When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross.” – AMP
and
Luke 10:19 says, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” – NKJ
I told you it was really good news. We have been given authority over the devil and his personal assistants and we need to use it!
I do want to make one clarification here in case anyone would have this question. Am I saying there’s never a time to confront a person directly? Definitely not. In fact, I believe in Spirit-led confrontation, but it must be Spirit-led and it must be done in love for it to do any good.
We have to remember that only God can change a person’s heart by His grace. Remembering this keeps us doing our job and allows God to do His job. Sometimes the person is living in such deception that they either can’t see or purposely won’t admit to the fact that they are not living their lives led by the Holy Spirit, but have succumbed to living under the influence of another kind of spirit. We can pray that the blinders of deception be removed from their eyes.
Steve prayed for me all those years that I was living under the influence of a spirit of legalism and thank God he did. I am now free from that spirit’s influence and I am living my life once again under the leadership of the Holy Spirit!
If you have not yet made Jesus your Savior and received the wonderful joy that His finished work on the cross has provided for you to live in, please visit my page here titled Jesus In The Driver’s Seat. On this page I explain the good news of the gospel and you will have the opportunity to pray a prayer of salvation, making Jesus your Savior! Jesus loves you and His arms are wide open!
It really helps me to remember that my battle is not with people, but with the devil and his evil spirits that are holding people captive. It even helps me pray for people with a greater level of compassion when I keep this in mind.
When I pray, I don’t come against the person themselves in prayer, but the spirit of fear, jealousy, control, manipulation, violence, anger, pride, intimidation, depression etc. – whatever that spirit is that seems to be holding that person in bondage.
I pray for myself this way as well. For instance, I might pray, “I bind up this spirit of fear that is trying to hold me captive in this particular area in the name of Jesus. I loose a spirit of peace and calm over my life in this area right now. (see Matthew 16:19) God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (see 2 Timothy 1:7) I receive God’s love afresh for myself and I know His perfect love drives out every fear. (See 1 John 4:18)
Jesus gave us Christians authority over all the power of the enemy! This is really good news!
Colossians 2:15 says, “When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross.” – AMP
and
Luke 10:19 says, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” – NKJ
I told you it was really good news. We have been given authority over the devil and his personal assistants and we need to use it!
I do want to make one clarification here in case anyone would have this question. Am I saying there’s never a time to confront a person directly? Definitely not. In fact, I believe in Spirit-led confrontation, but it must be Spirit-led and it must be done in love for it to do any good.
We have to remember that only God can change a person’s heart by His grace. Remembering this keeps us doing our job and allows God to do His job. Sometimes the person is living in such deception that they either can’t see or purposely won’t admit to the fact that they are not living their lives led by the Holy Spirit, but have succumbed to living under the influence of another kind of spirit. We can pray that the blinders of deception be removed from their eyes.
Steve prayed for me all those years that I was living under the influence of a spirit of legalism and thank God he did. I am now free from that spirit’s influence and I am living my life once again under the leadership of the Holy Spirit!
If you have not yet made Jesus your Savior and received the wonderful joy that His finished work on the cross has provided for you to live in, please visit my page here titled Jesus In The Driver’s Seat. On this page I explain the good news of the gospel and you will have the opportunity to pray a prayer of salvation, making Jesus your Savior! Jesus loves you and His arms are wide open!
It really helps me to remember that my battle is not with people, but with the devil and his evil spirits that are holding people captive. It even helps me pray for people with a greater level of compassion when I keep this in mind.
When I pray, I don’t come against the person themselves in prayer, but the spirit of fear, jealousy, control, manipulation, violence, anger, pride, intimidation, depression etc. – whatever that spirit is that seems to be holding that person in bondage.
I pray for myself this way as well. For instance, I might pray, “I bind up this spirit of fear that is trying to hold me captive in this particular area in the name of Jesus. I loose a spirit of peace and calm over my life in this area right now. (see Matthew 16:19) God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (see 2 Timothy 1:7) I receive God’s love afresh for myself and I know His perfect love drives out every fear. (See 1 John 4:18)
Jesus gave us Christians authority over all the power of the enemy! This is really good news!
Colossians 2:15 says, “When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross.” – AMP
and
Luke 10:19 says, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” – NKJ
I told you it was really good news. We have been given authority of the devil and his personal assistants and we need to use it!
I do want to make one clarification here in case anyone would have this question. Am I saying there’s never a time to confront a person directly? Definitely not. In fact, I believe in Spirit-led confrontation, but it must be Spirit-led for it to do any good.
We have to remember that only God can change a person’s heart by His grace. Remembering this keeps us doing our job and allows God to do His job. Sometimes the person is living in such deception that they either can’t see or purposely won’t admit to the fact that they are not living their lives led by the Holy Spirit, but have succumbed to living under the influence of another kind of spirit. We can pray that the blinders of deception be removed from their eyes.
Steve prayed for me all those years that I was living under the influence of a spirit of legalism and thank God he did. I am now free from that spirit’s influence and I am living my life once again under the leadership of the Holy Spirit!
If you have not yet made Jesus your Savior and received the wonderful joy that His finished work on the cross has provided for you to live in, please visit my page here titled Jesus In The Driver’s Seat. On this page I explain the good news of the gospel and you will have the opportunity to pray a prayer of salvation, making Jesus your Savior! Jesus loves you and His arms are wide open!
Sandra McCollom
Sometimes phrases just stand out on my screen and almost shout at me to think about them. These are "Really?" moments, and the title was one of these. Every day I look through a list of ebooks under the broad umbrella of "Christianity." Usually there are 60 or more and sometimes up to 300. A… Read More
The post “When Prayer Fails, Try Praise.” Really? appeared first on Positive Words.
I listened to this teaching titled Prayer That Makes A Difference by my Pastor, Jeff Perry, recently and knew I wanted to share it with you. It’s only 45 minutes long and I believe it will really help you like it helped me!
Here’s a quote from the teaching:
“As I’m preaching my preaching is aimed for the result of you being a bit more tuned in, a bit more receptive. This will help you and give you incentive about the life of prayer. It won’t be like, “I gotta pray, I’m a Christian and I have to pray.” No, because you’re a Christian you connect with God, you voice things, you learn things, you see things, you’re in touch with God, you’re intuitive, you’re perceptive. The Bible says those who are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” - Pastor Jeff Perry
Click below to listen to Pastor Jeff’s teaching and be encouraged!
If you have not yet made Jesus your Savior and received the wonderful joy that His finished work on the cross has provided for you to live in, please visit my page here titled Jesus In The Driver’s Seat. On this page I explain the good news of the gospel and you will have the opportunity to pray a prayer of salvation, making Jesus your Savior! Jesus loves you and His arms are wide open!
Sandra McCollom
Yay, we’re back to Romans! I love reading and studying for these blog posts! Remember though, my comments below in red are simply from what I have studied so far and/or just my own personal thoughts about these verses and my own experiences in regards to these verses. I realize that learning is progressive and I will gain more and more revelation each time I come across these same verses in the future. In other words, I don’t claim to know it all and I never will. This is not meant to be a commentary of Romans.
Romans 13:1-7 says,
1 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.
6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. (NLT)
I have to admit, It has alarmed me in the last number of years to see how some Christians think it’s ok to publicly gossip about those in positions of governmental authority, including the President. Of course, It’s not ok to privately gossip about those in authority over us either, but I mentioned public gossip because of some of the things I have read on social media.
I believe this attitude stems from a lack of genuine trust in God. There are some Christians out there who are trying to do God’s job. Haven’t we all done this a time or two (or 5 or 6 hundred times) ourselves? I know I have, but the truth is that when a person really believes that God can make a difference they stop gossiping and start praying and believing God to bring the changes in our Nation that need to be brought about. And just imagine all the great results that would come if every single one of us Christians started praying for those in authority over us instead of slandering them. One of the synonyms for slander means ‘to speak evil of.’
Of course, I’m not saying all Christians do this by any means, but I can write this with conviction because I was that person for so many years who was behind the scenes complaining instead of actually doing something that would make a difference.
I’m also not saying there are not certain actions we should take, such as exercising our right to vote, etc, but any action we take needs to be a Spirit-led action that comes from a heart of love and prayer, not an action that comes from a heart of hate and self-effort.
For instance, this gathering is a brilliant, Spirit-led idea that will actually bring about genuine change in our nation. Click here to check it out: Together 2016 – The Campaign
This is going to be historic. I can feel it in my spirit. I couldn’t even read through the website with my husband without choking back tears. Why will this be historic?
Because #JesusChangesEverything
Now that God has changed me by His grace and continues to do so, I see many things differently than I used to. Here’s the bottom line for me now – here is what I ask myself: Did Jesus sit around and complain about the Roman government of His day and gossip about and slander those in governmental authority? He did not.
In the midst of the corruption that was going on in Jesus’ day, He prayed, He loved, He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. Jesus understood that the things that were going on in the government and in individual people’s lives were symptomatic of a deeper problem; therefore, He spent His time getting to the heart of the issues at hand.
I really love this statement that I’ve heard a number of people, including my own pastor, say:
I’d Rather Light A Candle Than Curse The Darkness
This is what Jesus did!
We can’t forget that God is still the God of the impossible and no matter what’s going on around us, His kingdom shall reign forever and ever!
Revelation 11:15 says,
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven:
“The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.”
OH YES HE WILL!
Instead of complaining, God needs us to spend our time praying for and speaking His Word over our government system, government leaders, and our President.
After all, Proverbs 21:1 says this:
The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it whichever way He wishes.
And look what the Bible says in Hebrews 4:12 regarding the power of God’s Word:
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. (NLT)
The Word of God is the most powerful force on the planet. This is why we need to be speaking it over our nation and over our world!
The last thing I’ll say about this is that I do believe satan has some Christians distracted from what Jesus actually asked His followers to do.
Here’s what Jesus told us to do:
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” – John 13:34-35 (NLT)
and
31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you. 32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return. 35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for He is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.- Luke 6:31-36 (NLT)
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Romans 13:8-10 says,
8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. (NLT)
I’ve got great news for you regarding this last group of verses. When you make the choice to live your life under God’s grace, His grace will change you into a person who has a desire to walk in love. The key is to receive God’s grace no matter what.
I tell a story in my book about how, through the simple act of continuing to receive God’s grace, even when I didn’t feel I deserved it, I was set free from a lifelong bondage of being late almost everywhere I went. And when I say lifelong bondage, I’m not kidding. When I was in grade school I used to chase the school bus down the street in the morning because I would frequently leave my house too late to get to the bus stop. But thank God that about 3 years ago His grace changed my heart to such an extent that it gave me the desire to walk in love with people in this area by being on time!
It’s really true that a life lived by God’s grace will take you light years beyond any place that living under the law could ever take you.
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Romans 13:13-14 says,
13 Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. (NLT)
If you’re reading these verses through the lens of God’s grace you’re going to see them totally different than if you read them as a rule book. As a grace girl, what immediately stood out to me is the advice that Paul gave us to clothe ourselves with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I already know that if you and I learn to practice the presence of Jesus (which is what we were created for), the sins that Paul lists in these verses are not going to be alluring to us and even if there are things we are currently struggling with, the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that as we behold Jesus we will be changed to be more and more like Him!
I’m not saying the sins don’t have to go. They gotta go, but there’s only one way they can be annihilated from any of our lives and that is by the presence of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit doing the work of change in us.
There are SO many ways that we can practice the presence of Jesus and behold Him. I go into this extensively in my book, I Tried Until I Almost Died, including giving you lots of practical examples as to what this looks like in your everyday life.
Next God’s Treasure Chest post will be on Romans 14
To find all my other God’s Treasure Chest posts just click here on My Grace Journey and then scroll down to the topic that says God’s Treasure Chest!
If you have not yet made Jesus your Savior and received the wonderful joy that His finished work on the cross has provided for you to live in, please visit my page here titled Jesus In The Driver’s Seat. On this page I explain the good news of the gospel and you will have the opportunity to pray a prayer of salvation, making Jesus your Savior! Jesus loves you and His arms are wide open!
Sandra McCollom
