Children By Faith

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. – (Galatians 3:26, NLT)

For now we are all children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. – (Galatians 3:26, TLB)

It is your faith in the Anointed Jesus that makes all of you children of God. – (Galatians 3:26, VOICE)

 

Our status as children of God does not come through us somehow earning our way, but rather by a choice to trust our hearts to Him and believe that He is who He says. There is an interesting balance between an awareness of our need for His grace and our desire to respond accordingly. We cannot do or be anything to cause God to love us more or less, for He loves His children unconditionally. However, we must trust in His love and faithfulness as our Heavenly Father, for that is the very nature of faith. May we ever hold fast by faith to who we are in Christ, trusting by faith that He is good and faithful to all of His beloved children.

 

The Lord God on high, 

Is Father to all;

Who trust in His Name,

And to Him choose call.

It’s not dependent,

On things that we do;

But rather on grace,

As His love breaks through.

So, trust in the good,

Of our loving Lord;

And live in His grace,

And love it affords.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness and grace. Thank You that You are faithful as our loving Father to all who choose trust in You. Thank You that we are considered Your dearly loved children. Forgive us for attempting to do or be enough to somehow earn Your favor. Teach us to trust in Your grace that loves us always. Help us to love those around us in response to Your incredible love and faithful grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we walk out our days in Your faithful grace that compels us to love like You. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth (Moreno) Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God. – John 1:12

We Are One

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ. – (Galatians 3:26-28, NLT) 

 

God looks at us through the lens of His Son. Not one of us is more or less worthy than another, but rather we are equally covered and called clean by what Christ has done for us on the cross. Our part is to trust in Him, believe that His grace is enough, and move forward as one body in the freedom that we’ve been given so that we may go forth and love as we are loved. May we each embrace our status as children of God, and walk out our days as one body, determined to love God and love people as God so lavishly loves each of us.

 

We are the children, 

Of God our great King;

United with Christ,

Such love the Lord brings.

Through our own choosing,

To receive the gift;

Our faithful pursuit,

Grants us a soul lift.

For through this union,

We have been made new;

Cleansed and called righteous,

One body in You.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can be called Your children when we choose to place our trust in Jesus and what He did on our behalf. Thank You that through baptism, we are united with Christ, and covered and called clean before You. Thank You that You see Christ in us, rather than the guilt and shame that we carry. Forgive us for not receiving all that You are offering, or for somehow holding onto that which You have already forgiven. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would receive all that You offer, and see others through Your eyes. Show us how to love as You love, so that we may move as one body, with one purpose, as You have called us to love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we go forth and love as we are loved. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

May God Almighty grant you mercy. – Genesis 43:14

Belief in the Hearing

Does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? – (Galatians 3:5, NIV)

 

God, in His goodness, gives us the gift of His Spirit, not because we follow the letter of the law, but rather because we choose to believe the truth that we have heard. Our belief, our very faith, can only exist if we hear the good news. It is in the hearing that our faith is established, and the wonder of His works become made known. With eyes and hearts wide open, we recognize the mighty miracles, great and small, that take place in and around us all the time. May our faith be firmly rooted and established in the truth that we hear from Him.

 

May God in His grace,

Continue to show;

That all comes through faith,

His Spirit makes known.

Let our belief rise,

In wonder and awe;

At who the Lord is,

Not following laws.

Free from the burden,

The weight the law made;

By faith we are free,

To walk in His ways.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we are no longer tied to the burden of observing the letter of the old laws, but rather we are saved by believing and trusting in You. Thank You that You grow our faith as we listen and trust in the truth that we hear of You. Forgive us for trying to do enough or be enough to somehow earn Your favor. Teach us to trust that investing our hearts into knowing You more, is far greater than a laundry list of doing. Show us how to love others well out of the overflow of what You have given unto us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we walk in the freedom of our faith, trusting You to lead us and guide us in the direction that we are meant to go. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. – Proverbs 11:25

Holding What is Heard

God is Lord of the miraculous – not because we do enough or somehow earn it, but rather He grants favor where faith is found. Does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? – (Galatians 3:5) Our faith in Christ is what empowers us to live for God. As we allow Him reign in us, He works through us, to help us do that which need be done. It is not by works; it is through faith we are saved. May we lay hold of what we have heard by His Spirit, and believe by faith, so that He may accomplish through us, all that needs to be done.

 

Though the law is good,

to show us the ways;

where we’ve fallen short,

throughout all our days.

It is by our faith,

that God opts to move;

He works miracles,

among we who choose.

May we each lay hold,

of what we have heard;

and by faith, embrace,

the Lord’s Holy Word.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your Spirit in us is not dependant on our ability to do enough or be good enough, but rather it is a matter of whether or not we choose to believe and trust in You. Thank You Jesus, that You are worthy of all of our trust. Thank You that You empower us to live for You, no matter what is going on around us. Forgive us for thinking that we need to somehow follow a set of rules and regulations to be “good enough” in Your sight, and help us to hear clearly the truth of Your grace found in faith. Teach us to trust You more, so that we may operate in confidence, knowing that You are both with us and for us, always. Lead us to love others, just as You so perfectly love each of us. May many come into a saving relationship with You, Lord. Be exalted O God, as we faithfully follow You.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

But because of His great love for us, God, Who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ. – Ephesians 2:4-5

Just Faith

Attempting to be right before God in our own strength, does not work.  Our very best intentions will never lead to justification, regardless of how hard we try on our own.  However, when we choose to live by faith, and place our trust in Him, we are counted righteous as He covers us with the mercy of His sacrifice made, and we are seen as spotless, shameless, and set free from sin.

“Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.” – (Galatians 3:11)

Even our faith is a gift that God gives.  We have the freedom to choose whether or not we are to embrace God and the glorious gifts that He has given; or not.  When we choose Him, He meets us where we are, grows our faith within us, and opens the eyes of our hearts to more clearly see who He is and what He has done for us.  As our understanding deepens, we cannot help but long to love more deeply, and serve more selflessly.  By His grace, we embrace our faith, and He deems us righteous before Him.

In our own strength,

no way justified;

only by grace,

we are sanctified.

It is by faith,

not by any law;

that we’re called right,

before Father God.

It is a gift,

for us to embrace;

may each heart know,

His unending grace.

Open our eyes,

to more clearly see;

Your righteousness,

that has set us free.

Dear Jesus, thank You for coming and taking our place on the cross, so that we can be called clean, justified before God, because of what You willingly did on our behalf.  Thank You that despite our best efforts, on our own we would never measure up – yet with You, by faith, we are considered righteous before God.  Forgive us for trying to justify ourselves with our “I’ll do better next time” or “I’ll never do that again“, and help us instead to confess to You, and rely on You to be our help and our hope, so that we will do better the next time we face a similar scenario – not because we are better, but because we are trusting You more.  Teach us how to rely on You completely in all things and at all times, and be our hope and our help, even when we can’t seem to see or hear You in the midst of the mess.  Thank You that You are always present, and always good.  Help us to love others as You love us, and may many come to know You through our loving kindness.   Be exalted in all that we say and do.  Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. – Galatians 5:22-23

The Law and the Promise

The law was given

image by vm0572

so we might know our need.

Stuck in our own sins,

prisoners to be freed.

For by Jesus Christ,

comes our freedom alone.

His death on the cross,

is faith’s foundation stone.

The promises made,

apply to all who trust;

for grace is a gift,

and receive it, we must.

Before Jesus came,

we were captives indeed.

Bound by sinfulness,

unable to be freed.

The law should lead us,

to receive His great grace.

Unbind our shackles,

grant us strength in this race.

(Responding to Galatians 3:15-25)

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promises.  Thank You too for Your laws that lead us to understand our desperate need for You and for Your grace.  Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, so that we might be set free from the burden of our own sinfulness.  Thank You that through faith, You empower and equip us to stand strong in You and resist the ways of the world that seek to strangle and destroy us.  Forgive us for trying to resist temptation in any way other than by faith in You.  Teach us to trust You and turn to You in all things and at all times.  Help us to lean not on our own understanding, but in all of our ways, acknowledge You, and trust You to make our paths straight.  May Your majesty be made evident through how we live our lives, and may many come to know You as a result of our faithful grasp of Your grace.  Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present