as he gazed at the stars...

     Few things in this world are as overwhelming as standing on the beach, looking out over the ocean...or laying in a field staring up at the night sky.  The incredible size of the ocean and massive expanse of the sky make a single human feel quite insignificant in comparison.

     So when God takes Abram outside and points to the stars in order to cast a vision for his life, I've no doubt he was humbled as he gazed at the stars.

"Look up at the heavens and count the stars--if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."  Genesis 15:5

     God rarely places a vision that is ordinary, and even more so He is rarely concerned with your current reality being something that holds back what is possible.  One example of how visions are born is found in the book Visioneering and states this, "Visions are born in those who are consumed with the tension between what is and what could be."

     It's obvious that many of us are consumed with "what is", our current reality is used as an excuse for why we can't be something else...God is consumed with "what could be."  Every time you open up God's Word it is as if you stand in Abram's position and you "Look up at the heavens and count the stars." 

     Next time you open God's Word and see a vision that God speaks into you which seems a bit overwhelming, this is God telling you "what could be."  My one piece of advice is this...Don't remind Him who you are but remember who He is.
    

Grace vs. Legalism

As I make my way through Galatians during the Sunday morning sermons, we addressed Galatians 1:6-8 and 14 yesterday...

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ."  Galatians 1:6-7

Paul was dealing with a group that was destroying the gospel of grace by adding guidelines that were necessary to complete their salvation...this was legalism fleshing out in the first century (amazing that it's made it all the way to 2011!)

Legalism = any attempt to earn salvation or blessings from God

Grace = the complete love of God offered to men...free of charge with no expectation of return...only motive is the free-heartedness of the giver

Grace and legalism can be sneaky, in fact one letter can make the difference...YEARN for Jesus' love through grace...EARN Jesus' love through legalism.  In fact many times we can't tell the difference in our own life!

Take this test to see if you communicate grace or legalism through your life...

When seeing someone caught in sin and despair am I more likely to say,

"If they would only do what I do..." or "If they only knew what I knew..."? 

Grace is based on KNOWING what Jesus has done for you...not what you can DO for Him.

Be honest with yourself...this is the reputation of Jesus at hand.