Affliction in the Spirit

The term afflicted means experiencing pain and distress. I can remember when I was learning what I call my grace lesson I was feeling much pain and distress so much so it was literally zapping the life out of me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 says My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness…

When you are at your point of
weakness it is the grace of God that strengthens you back to the road of recovery. It is our trusting receptivity if the gift if His righteousness, in spite of all the sins and failures we see in ourselves which saves us from despair and depression.

I have learned that we hide because we are hurt and we hurt because we don’t understand how to heal. Part of our healing comes when we are able to allow the pain in our lives to make us more sensitive to the hurting ones around. I often say there is purpose in pain. It teaches you a most valuable lesson.

When I was going through what felt like great affliction I came across a poem by Christina Rossetti:

A Better Resurrection
I have no wit, no word, no tears
My heart within me like stone
Is numbed too much for hopes or fears
Look right look left I dwell alone;
I lift my eyes, but dimmed with grief
No everlasting hills I see
My life is in the falling leaf
O Jesus quicken me

My life is a broken bowl
A broken bowl that cannot hold
One drop of water for my soul
Or cordial in the searching cold
Cast in fire the perished thing
Melt and remold it. Till it be
A royal cup for Him my king
O Jesus drink of me…,

This poem was the beat of my heart and as God infused my life I began to see my life with hope and healing…I became aware if those hurting around me…
Grace is simply amazing..Grace encourages you to never give up, never stop loving…the power is of God…

Are you in a place you feel no one else has ever been? Believe me someone has.

Be Blessed,

Pastor Jackie

Amazed by Grace

Amazed means overwhelmed with wonder. Grace is defined as God’s unmerited favor or God’s favor to those who deserve the opposite. Grace is always based upon who He is and what He has done. Grace is God’s love in action on our behalf freely giving us His forgiveness, his acceptance, and his favor.

Ephesians 2:8 says For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.

These words are true for the most vilest sinner, and they are equally true for the shinest saint. This grace can never be replaced by something else.

So the very nature of grace is that it is undeserved. That’s what makes it so amazing that when I should have received punishment and death, I received Forgiveness and Life.

I now realize that grace has been a vital factor in every spiritual lesson God has taught me. But letting go of control was most certainly not the only lesson God had for me during my grace lessons. In fact, most of my time was literally spent kicking and screaming. But in the end, his great love won.

And even though I am still on the Potters Wheel, I decided to share some of grace lessons with the hope that others may be encouraged, possibly relate that we are not alone on this road.

My prayer is that each one who visit this blog will know that God is enough and He truly keeps all his promises.

Yes, truly, I am amazed by Grace!

Can you think of a time you deserved punishment but received a reprieve instead?

Be Blessed,

Pastor Jackie