Laced With Grace

One of our favorite things to do when all of the kids get together is stay up late and sit around the table playing board games. Recently, when the boys were all here, one of them showed me a new card game. I can’t recall the name of it, but I remember that it not only took skill but it took speed and accuracy.

Have you ever played a game and everything seemed to be going your way? So much, that you were so confident that you were winning…but only to find out that someone had been holding out on a secret move or playing their trump card? That happens to me all of the time, especially when playing UNO with my kids … just when I get down to my last move, someone hands me a DRAW FOUR card. ((rats!!))

((Rats!!)) must have been the word the devil searched for when he thought he was winning when Jesus was nailed to the cross! He thought that if he could kill Jesus, that would be the end, and then he would be victorious. What a terrible miscalculation on the devil’s part. He had not calculated that the evil that he brought to Jesus would be the very defeat of himself.

I would say that Jesus was holding the winning play all along…

Colossians 2:14,15 ” having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (15) Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”

Jesus totally disarmed the devil … He took away the weapon of death from the devil’s hand on that day on Calvary. And there is a day coming, that the mean, cheating, evil devil will be destroyed for good! It is only a matter of time before Jesus is going to take the devil out of this game he is playing and Jesus will be victorious. He holds the winning hand!

You can visit me daily on my personal blog … http://womentakingastand.blogspot.com/

What Has God promised you? Is there something specific He has whispered to your heart He would do? Do you feel like His promise is so big and wonderful it couldn’t possibly be for you? What is holding you back? Why aren’t you taking Him at His word?

Why haven’t you finished what you started for Him?

I have been feeling the sweet nudging of my Lord to finish the book He put on my heart to begin last year. I have written eight chapters of a twenty chapter book, sent off book proposals and I’m far from finished. My friend Celia has offered to let me write in her home in the woods not too far from where I live. This means I will be able to head over there one day a week and sit on her wooden deck overlooking the most beautiful pine trees in our area. I am looking so forward to it. We just finalized my writing plans last week.

And then I read my devotion yesterday.

When I finished up the Book of Acts for my morning devotion, the most natural for me would have been to continue on and read the Book of Romans. But, for awhile 2 Corinthians kept coming up in my day to day goings on. So, I went there instead. This was the verse I read yesterday;

He has spoken to me loud and clear. I am feeling quite inadequate for the job at hand, but I am going to take Him at His Word.

What about you?

Make sure to head on over to Blessed…and say hello. I love to hear from you girls!

(a couple pics of Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs)

SO SORRY FOR THE LATE POST TODAY. THIS IS A REPOST OF ONE OF MY BLOG ENTRIES FROM LAST YEAR. THE TRUTH STILL APPLIES TODAY!

Yesterday, I spent hours at the World Prayer Center. It was beautiful. Serene. Refreshing. I journaled, read the Word, wrote out verses that spoke to me, listened to an amazing pianist,  then listened to worship music. I often closed my eyes. I even watched a snow storm move in over Pikes Peak and out across the city.

This is the conversation I had with God. I needed to hear from Him. I felt confused and wanted a clear path to follow. I hope this dialog will encourage you.

God: See outside?

Me: Yes.

Can you see far?

No. The snow is blocking my view.

Is the mountain still there?

Yes.

How do you know?

I’ve seen it before.

Are you sure it’s there?

Yes.

But you can’t see it.

I know.

Just like the mountain will not move when it’s hidden, neither will I move when I’m hidden.

Are you going to hide from me?

No, but when you feel like you can’t see, you can trust I am still there. The plan I have is not seen now. But you can trust you will soon see. The storm is now. But soon sun will come and you will know.

I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Jeremiah 29:11 The Message

Father God, thank you for never leaving me. Thank you for walking me through the storms of life. Thank you for the reminder that even though You seem hidden, You are still right here. Always near. What a comfort. I can trust You no matter what, whether you feel close or far away. In Jesus name, Amen.

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Have a wonderful day, friends,

Tiffany

Tea with Tiffany