Bridge of Grace



 

 

Bridge of Grace

 

As a group of us were traveling to a destination in the mountains we knew the highway would lead us through a small town and a well –known decrepit hundred year old bridge that gave some concern to its ability to continue to carry the weight of traffic.  Or so we thought it would be the same old bridge.

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,

 so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

 

As the bus drove closer to cross over the bridge the friendly chatter on the little bus stopped and it became very quiet as we all gawked out the bus windows. Then there came an audible sigh of relief. It was now not that old rusty bridge to cross, but a brand new one built right along beside it.

One gentlemen spoke up first what others were thinking, “Now here is a bridge that for sure will bear our weight.”

There is for us this wonderful gift from God through His Son Jesus Christ, it’s a bridge of grace.  Grace is discovered anew over and over again when me come face to face with our weaknesses and discover we need His strength to carry on.  It’s in those bridge crossing moments we will find the peace and wonder of being in God’s presence with the joy of crossing over into His glory.

Never a bit of wear and tear, not a speck of rust will we ever find to worry about on God’s bridge of grace. For as He promised, His bridge of grace will always yield beneath the weight of the one who trusts and believes in Him.

“The bridge of grace will bear our weight, brother. Thousands of big sinners have gone across that bridge, yea, tens of thousands have gone over it. I can hear their trampings now as they traverse the great arches of the bridge of salvation….I will go with them trusting to the same support. It will bear me over as it as it has for them.” Charles Spurgeon

 

“Bridge of Grace” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Minist ries© July 31, 2015

The Glory List



The Glory List

I worked with a woman several years ago who had been a widow for about one year when we met, had four teenagers along with one daughter in college, all still living at home.

 When I asked her how she managed all these challenges on her own and still stay so positive she replied, "Oh, I don’t manage anything on my own. I write down what I need on my glory list and I give the list to Jesus. The longer the list, the more opportunities I have to glorify Him! I never want to make my list too short that would show my lack of faith, so I go all out."

She continued to share her faith saying, "You can't imagine the peace I have once I give it all to Jesus. He knows what's best for me, even if I don't. Things often turn out different from my glory list, but I always have all that I need. My choices would be far too emotional; Jesus makes wise choices that will stand the test of time, and I’ve learned to trust in Him.”

In time the children moved out and it became apparent to her that she needed to sell her big family home and buy one she could manage better.  One day she asked me to pray with her for what she had just written down on her new glory list.

I sighed to myself, as I saw selling the home fast was number one on the list and number two was finding another smaller, more affordable home in the same area and all to happen at the same time. Sell her home in this market and find another for the little money she would have left over? Impossible I thought. I fear she is setting herself up to be disappointed.

“Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the LORD- rejoice in his presence! Father to the fatherless, defender of widows-this is God, whose dwelling is holy," Psalm 68:4-5 NLT

What a wonderful life lesson in faith I was about to witness with my friend. For to my surprise, her home sold in less than two weeks! And you guessed it, she also secured an option to buy the perfect little house right down the street just like what was written on her glory list.

 

“When the details and difficulties of life surround us, we must do the unnatural thing. We must run to the Lord with thanksgiving and praise on our lips, cling tenaciously to Him, and be overwhelmed with the Shepherd by the peace and the contentment of His presence.”—Phyllis Bengas, Intimate Moments

 

 “The Glory List” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© July 27, 2015.

 













 “The Glory List” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© July 27, 2015.

Sweet Incense of Worship

wild roses by the bay by Dee Kamp

Sweet Incense of Worship

The summer heat was intense all day long, but then as I was sitting by the open window with evening prayers upon my heart. Then a little breeze blew across the roses in the garden and like a precious ancient incense it swept away the staleness of the day.

“May My prayer be set before you like incense;

may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.”

Psalm 141:2 NIV

 

The palmist paints a beautiful word picture in this Psalm. Incense was precious to the ancient world and covered the unpleasant odors of everyday life with a beautiful fragrance.

God called for special incense to be a pleasant aroma that would rise up in holy worship to Him.  Incense also speaks of a person breathing out their heartfelt prayers in sweet surrender to the Lord.

Hands lifted up in holy praise to the Lord are hands not busy, toiling or creating something, but raised up in self-less, heartfelt love.

We are able to worship the Lord all the time, no matter our trials, troubles or circumstances. We don’t need to buy, mix or create an incense sweet unto the Lord, for our wholehearted worship is a beautiful and pleasing aroma to Him.

 

“I breathed a heartfelt evening prayer

To God on high, and lingered there,

To see if God did truly care

In heaven above.

Down from the heights, my answer came

A quiet peace passed through my frame,

I felt His presence, praise His Name,

For God is love.”

 R.E. Neighbour

 

“Sweet Incense of Worship” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© July 20, 2015

 

Like Tumbleweeds



Montana fields by Dee Kamp

 

 



Like Tumbleweeds

T

he wind blew dust so thick from the prairie it obscured our vision of the highway. I watched the tumbleweeds rolling along and pile up against the fences. But some were being flipped up in the air by a gust of wind, rolling them out onto the highway, and one smacked hard against our motor home. It felt as if we were in a race to outdistance the tumbleweeds. The highway patrol warned everyone on the radio that tumbleweeds can be dangerous and even life-threatening.

I have seen tourists stop and pick up a tumble weed and toss it in the back of their car for decoration back at home. It’s the last thing a North Dakota farmer would think of doing. They once thought of fencing the entire state of North Dakota to stop tumbleweeds from causing injury, by its thorns, to their horses, and from its ability to carry a prairie fire across many acres of farmland.

The tumbleweed grows until its seeds are mature, then the stem breaks off allowing this perfect ball of a plant to be tossed by the winds and disperse its seeds for miles. Interestingly, science has shown that the plant is so well-created it does not lose all of its seeds on the first bounce, but is designed to let the seeds come loose one bounce at a time. This plant survives because it can bounce to survive in adversity.

 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come our way,

consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know

that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a

chance to grow. So let it grow for when your endurance

is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete,

needing nothing James 1:2-4 NLT.

The tumbleweed has a lot going for it. Endurance allows it to survive, grow, and disperse its seeds. To some, it is a just a nuisance. But now scientists at Utah State University have found that tumbleweeds improve the soil. A tumbleweed trickles chemicals into the soil and this improves the nutrients in the ground, so other plants grow better the next season.

Just like the tumbleweed, we are each designed that in our tumbling we will have the bounce to survive. We are each designed with a great purpose by our Creator. With faith, we are able to disperse seeds of hope, faith, and love. When we roll into the lives of others who live with tired soil in their souls, we are able to nurture them in God’s Word, leaving a place where Christ will grow.

“Thou has made us for Thyself,

And the heart of man is restless

Until it finds its rest in Thee.”

—St. Augustine

 

By Dee Kamp, from: “Strength for Today, Hope For Tomorrow”

Don't Borrow From Tomorrow

 

washtub filled with flowers Sanborn Iowa by Dee Kamp

 







Don't Borrow From Tomorrow!

 

"I'm a professional worrier," my new neighbor recently confessed to me. I discovered this to be sadly true. She was so preoccupied with her worries for tomorrow she couldn't tell you what was going on around her today.

My grandma use to say, "If you borrow a cup of worry from tomorrow you'll lose a pound of joy today."

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus," (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT).

When waves of worry wheedle and worm themselves into our heart, take heart. When we call out the name of Jesus we will sense an instant release from worry that we can never do by our own efforts.

When my husband was often in the hospital for treatments I started carrying a tiny notebook of encouraging Scripture verses to read while time dragged anxiousness thoughts upon me. Oh how sweet a release it is to sense the nearness of the Lord in those moments.

Storing God’s Word in our heart is preferable, but also keeping His Word handy and visible will whisk worry away like sweeping away those dust bunnies from under the bed. Let the Word of God push worry out of the way and allow the Lord’s promises of peace fill up your heart every time.

 

“Said the Robin to the Sparrow:

“I should really like to know

Why these anxious human beings

Rush about and worry so.”

Said the Sparrow to the Robin,

“Friend, I think that it must be,

That they have no heavenly Father,

Such as cares for you and me.”

Elizabeth Cheney

 

“Don’t Borrow from Tomorrow” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© July 6, 2015

A Cup of Encouragement



A Cup of Encouragement

Sometimes the most wonderful reminder of God’s love and the cup of encouragement we need comes as a simple reminder in a little list of what God has promised us.

·       “I will give you rest.” …Matthew 11:28 NIV “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

·       “I will strengthen you.”…Isaiah 41:10 NIV “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

·       “I will answer you,”... ”You who answer prayer, to you all people will come.” Psalm 65:2 NIV

·       “I am for you.”… This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” Isaiah 48:7 NIV

·       “I will provide for you.”… “He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
    the Lord is gracious and compassionate. He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.” Psalm 111:4-5 NIV

God’s Word is a love letter written specifically for us, He is our Father in heaven who adores us.

Come, sit down with a cup of your favorite beverage and take the weight off your feet and your heart. Come away His beloved, rest awhile with Him. He is waiting there on the sofa, on the porch swing, in the garden just for you.

“A Cup of Encouragement” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Moring Ministries© June 24, 2014