TUESDAY TRIADS!

Few pastors are as succinct as Scotty Smith! He says the most with the fewest words!

Think crisp with clarity!

A BIG thanks to Doris, one of his faithful followers, and Quad Squad member for sharing a recent Scotty NT Gospel Triad with me.

1. Who are believers? "Called, loved and kept" (Jude 1:1)
2. What are believers given? "Grace, mercy, and peace" (2 John 1:3)
3. What will last in a believers life? "Faith, hope, and love" (1 Corinthians 13:13)

How do I know this triad was for me? 

I needed it after a week's worth of being "off the grid" to focus on & care for Hubby after his serious reverse shoulder replacement surgery. 

He needs it as well. Think "right-hander" living with only left hand usage and pain.

For us, tonight's Allen Bible Church selection from the  ABC 2026 Reading Plan is 1 Corinthians 13 (A favorite Scripture of his)

Romans 12:12, a fave Bible verse for me from dear friend Dixie, is on my side of the bed to see as I get up to aid Hubby during the middle of the night! Controls to access his recliner are on the right side and unable to be reached by his left hand. One more affliction he faces. Grateful so many friends are faithful in prayer for us as Hubby heals. 

 

These triads are God's truth for all believers.

Today I see them as "God winks" for me, a needy believer who is so-so grateful!

HEARTBREAK TO HOPE!

Legitimate reasons for lament can bring darkness into one's life....even in the midst of the joy of the Christmas season.

Dark clouds require deep mercy, as Mark Vroegop says.This morning as I jot notes for my "dear to my heart," cousin Joy's funeral, I am asking for that mercy. Lament is pain that can lead to trust. May my time in His word lead me to that today.

Lament tunes the heart so it can sing about trust. (Vroegop, p. 82)

I am still struggling. "How long O Lord?" (Psalm 13:1) 

Help me to discover the grace of "lament" during this dark time.

May this lament fuel my faith.

May I place my broken heart in God's hands today and lean into the hope only He can give.

As I remember Brenda Joyce Davenport Tanley at her funeral, may my words offer hope. Others my call her Joyce but ever since childhood, she's been "my Joy."

Transform me, O Lord that others might see Christ in me, the hope of glory! For in your presence is fullness of joy and pleasures  forever more. (Psalm 16:11)

MORE JOY!

More Joy coming as soon as the plane lands!

Even though I'm carrying prayers of comfort and mercy for cousin Joy!

MORE GRACE AND MERCY!

Thanks to Allen Bible Church for the reminder during this time of need for so many, me included!

GRACE & MERCY!

Grace and mercy. Two road signs I choose to follow! How about you?

God's grace through Jesus is greater than all our sins! His mercies are new every morning! I know because I prayed thru the characteristics of God this morning as I exercised.

Anyway you say it, with whichever term you use, mercy and grace are both attributes of love. God's love! 

I want to stay on their paths, especially when those street signs are so obviously needed in my life.

For my "Wednesday Wordsmiths"............

Recently, I read that mercy and grace are 2 sides of the same coin!

Mercy withholds (intentional or unintentional) deserved punishment; grace endows unmerited favor. Greek word for mercy is eleos (pity and compassion); the Greek word for grace is charis (favor)

Mercy is compassionate love to the weak, and grace is generous love to the

unworthy. Humans are weak and unworthy - we all need God's mercy and grace. Mercy takes us to the path of forgiveness while grace leads us to reconcilliation.

(https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/what-is-the-difference-between-grace-and-mercy.html)

Batesville Bliss

8/29/30 My daughter tells me that I am "old school," though I’m not sure of her exact definition. If I am, I have a friend, Carolyn who is “old school” with me and that’s a real comfort. We are both small town girls; she still lives in one. We grew up with a sense of safety and security. Not sure if that was directly related to town size or just the era---probably a combination of both.
We both know how to burp our Tupperware®, (She recently replaced my green lettuce crisper for me.) We old school gals can stuff an egg with the best of them, have food splattered recipe cards that call for ingredients that no longer rest on grocery shelves and share great jello recipes with each other. (Hers are better.)
Growing up, for both of us, meant MYF on Sunday nights, church camps each summer and even Camp Junaluska (NC) in 1963---a fact we didn’t know until 40+ years later.
Today I got to spend a blissful day in her hometown of Batesville. I sat in the balcony pew of the First Methodist Church on Panola Ave in a sanctuary surrounded by familiar stained glass window scenes. Her twin grandsons, Chris and Matt were even acolytes. How serendipitous was that!!

I listened as she and 14 others in the handbell choir accompanied the hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” But my favorite was their rendition of “Lily of the Valley” with just the handbells. Ah, there’s just nothing better that a bell choir. I wonder if handbells are "old school" as well?

So much of the service from ritual to familiar and meaningful hymns was such a perfect fit for me today. Even scripture from I Samuel 12:23 that I once prayed for my brother Buddy was pertinent as now I once again have sensed that urgency---a desire to remember to not only pray faithfully for others but to teach them the good and right way as well.

It was indeed a blissful day for me because my friend is such a servant. She does so much for so many. She takes Luke 10:37 to heart. When Christ spoke of those who show mercy, He said, “Go and do likewise.” She’s not only an “old school” kind of gal but a “likewise” kind of girl as well. Therefore she is a blessing to many, me included.

I’ve decided that Molly must be using the term, “old school,” as an endearment of respect for a bygone era----more blissful in connotation than pejorative. At least it was for me today.

M = MERCY ME---

12/29/09 ---or NOT.
 Mercy is definitely not one of my strong suits or spiritual gifts. But mercy is a STRONG enduring attribute of God---

---even Shakespeare recognized this when he wrote The Merchant of Venice. Portia’s begging of mercy from Shylock shows that when we extend mercy we are following God’s example.

• But mercy is above this sceptered sway;
• It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;
• It is an attribute of God himself;
• And earthly power doth then show like God's
• When mercy seasons justice.

The bard gives the idea of an edict softened by compassion or circumstances tempered by the spirit of God. They represent justice seasoned with mercy. It’s like the five year-old who said, “I deserved a “whoopin’” but I got a hug.”

God is full of mercy. I’m so grateful that His mercy is unending…………my favorite hymn lyrics affirm this.

“Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.”

Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17)

MERCY ME---maybe I need to work on that in 2010!