Confess to Be Cleansed

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. – (1 John 1:9, NIV)

But if we confess our sins, God will forgive us. We can trust God to do this. He always does what is right. He will make us clean from the wrong things we have done. – (1 John 1:9, ERV)

But if we own up to our sins, God shows that He is faithful by forgiving us of our sins and purifying us from the pollution of all the bad things we have done. – (1 John 1:9, VOICE)

We all fall short and sin, be it in word, thought or deed. Our human nature is sinful, but God with us is pure and holy. When we talk to God and let Him know where we have fallen short or have said or done things that we know do not bring Him glory and ask for His forgiveness, He forgives and wipes the slate clean. In Psalm 103 we are reminded that “as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” God forgives us and looks at us through the lens of Jesus, the One who has no sin. No more does He hold what we have thought, said, or done against us, but rather He looks upon us with love, fresh and new. Unlike humans, He separates the sinner from the sin and chooses to pour out upon us His love and forgiveness as we ask. We, as humans, have a harder time forgiving and letting go. For us, we often have to ask Him to help us forgive others on more than one occasion for the same offense. He is our example of how to forgive and let go. The more we realize how we are forgiven each time we ask, the easier time we have forgiving those around us. May we ever seek the Lord and ask Him to forgive where we have erred, and to help us forgive those around us who have done the same.

The goodness of God,

far greater than sin;

He wipes our slate clean,

again and again.

Each time we fall short,

and ask He forgive;

He cleanses our heart,

mercy and grace gives.

Much in the same way,

we’re called to the same;

forgive each other,

so His good’s proclaimed.

Christ’s our example,

for He took on all;

He bore on the cross,

our sin, great and small.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that each time we ask, You forgive us and make us new. Thank You that there is no sin that we have done that has been hidden from You, yet still You love and pursue us and call us Your own. Forgive us for every word, thought, and deed that did not glorify You. Teach us to listen and learn so that we would follow Your lead in all things and at all times. Show us how to love and forgive as You do so that those around us would gain glimpses of Your goodness and grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You anew each day and ask that You cleanse us from our unrighteousness and move in and through us so that Your love is made known. Amen.

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

But with You forgiveness exists; that’s why true respect of You might flow. – Psalm 130:4

Be Strong and Take Courage

“Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord Your God is with you wherever you go.” – (Joshua 1:9, HCSB)

“Remember, I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – (Joshua 1:9, ERV)

This is My command: be strong and courageous. Never be afraid or discouraged because I am you God, the Eternal One, and I will remain with you wherever you go. – (Joshua 1:9, VOICE)

The strength and courage that God calls us to is the very thing that He equips us for. He does not say be strong and then expect us to muster up strength on our own; He supplies it. The same is true for courage. With God, we need not fear, for He goes before us, remains with us, and sees us through whatever comes our way. His presence is promised wherever we go, so there is no place that we can wander that God is not with us. There is much comfort in this, as the world can be a place that causes us to question how to continue forward in the direction we have been called. God knows we are subject to fear and discouragement. He is greater than any trial that lies before us, and He grants us the strength and courage that we need to press on. May we ever seek the Lord to strengthen us and replenish our resolve, for it is through Him that we can continue through both calm and chaos.

Be strong, take courage,

the Lord’s ever near;

our Help and our Hope,

the calmer of fear.

He grants us the strength,

to rise and press on;

calls forth our courage,

’til each day is done.

Choose trust in the Lord,

for He will supply;

all that is needed,

and strength to choose try.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our Source of strength and courage. Thank You that we do not have to somehow muster up such things to press on, but rather You come alongside us and equip us with all that we need to be strong and courageous. Forgive us for our fearfulness. Teach us how to trust You in all things and at all times. Lead us to find our strength and courage in You. Show us how to love those around us in ways that offer strength and courage to others too. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You and trust You to supply all that we need to press on. Amen.

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

The Lord my God was with me, and that gave me courage. – Ezra 7:28b

Fear Not

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. – (2 Timothy 1:7, HCSB)

The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power, love and self-control. – (2 Timothy 1:7, ERV)

You see, God did not give us a cowardly spirit but a powerful, loving, and disciplined spirit. – (2 Timothy 1:7, VOICE)

In this crazy, broken world, there are times that fear seems to creep in. We can either allow fear to cripple us from continuing forward in the direction we are called, or we can call on the Lord, who gives us His Spirit, which is one of power, love, and self-control. It does not mean that all will be easy and effortless, but rather that God will be with us through the ups and downs, trials and triumphs, and we need not fear as He is present with us. I know it is easy to say, “fear not,” yet to apply it when we face life’s giants is much more difficult. It requires ongoing seeking and trusting to overcome the fear that fights to creep in. Life experience is a great teacher, for as we look back at God’s faithfulness through the hard and horrible, we can see how He has brought us through. If He did it before, He will do it again. No matter what comes, His goodness remains. May we ever seek Him to take our hand and lead us in His strength through all that comes our way.

When fear finds its way,

to heart or to mind;

I must again trust,

that the Lord is kind.

He goes before me,

in everything;

and stays beside me,

as His help He brings.

My soul, choose fear not,

for His love is good;

it combats our fears,

power understood.

His love enters in,

each time that we call;

His grace and wisdom,

and love cover all.

In all things, always,

choose trust in His grace;

for God is faithful,

in all of His ways.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we need not fear with You in our lives, for You are greater than all that we face. Thank You that You give us Your Spirit that provides power, love, and sound judgement. Forgive us for the spaces where we allow fear a foothold. Teach us to trust You in all things and at all times. Lead us in Your love to extend strength, love, and goodness to those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we place our fears in Your hands and trust You to supply all that we need in all things. Amen.

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

Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. – Deuteronomy 31:6

Peace That is Present

The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace. – (Psalm 29:11, NIV)

May the Lord make His people strong. May the Lord bless His people with peace. – (Psalm 29:11, ERV)

God makes His people strong. God gives His people peace. – (Psalm 29:11, MSG)

Jesus knew the difficulty and heartache that we would endure. He came so that we would never have to walk through challenges alone, and made the way for His peace to be present with us, always. When we receive Him, His Spirit dwells in us and grants us peace, even when peace does not make sense. It does not mean trouble will be absent, rather it means that we have the blessed assurance that we will never walk through difficulty alone. God with us, means that He is present to strengthen, comfort, encourage, and uphold us in and through all things. Every trial, heartache, and challenge, He has faced and understands what we need to keep moving forward. Jesus comes alongside us and provides so that we know His goodness and peace, even in the most difficult of circumstances. May we ever thank the Lord for His presence that provides us His perfect peace.

No matter what comes,

the Lord’s ever near;

His presence brings peace,

as grace is made clear.

His love upholds us,

in everything;

His help grants us hope,

our Eternal King.

Peace that is present,

when chaos seems reign;

hope through the heartache,

all in His great Name.

Trust in His goodness,

as He brings release;

the help that we need,

and His perfect peace.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You sent Your Son to be with us and to grant us Your Spirit. Thank You that Your nearness provides peace, even when peace does not make sense. Forgive us for the times that we allow the chaos around us to crowd out our peace. Teach us to lean into You, for You are peace in all things and at all times. Thank You that You are the peace that is present no matter what comes. Show us how to be ambassadors of Your peace. Lead us to love those around us in ways that make Your goodness and peace tangible. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Your present peace and trust You to be ever near. Amen.

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

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. – Psalm 90:12

The Spirit We Are Given

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. – (2 TImothy 1:7, HCSB)

The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control. – (2 Timothy 1:7, ERV)

You see, God did not give us a cowardly spirit but a powerful, loving, and disciplined spirit. – (2 Timothy 1:7, VOICE)

No matter what lies before us, we need not fear. God with us grants us power, love and sound judgment to navigate whatever comes our way. He is faithful to meet us each time we call on Him, and He equips us to persevere. May we ever rise up in His provision of endurance to keep walking forward in His loving grace, to do all that we are called to do.

Fear not, beloved,

For God is with us;

With power, sound mind,

And unending love.

No matter what comes,

That which lies ahead.

God will equip us,

In love, we are led.

Take courage, dear friends,

For this brand new day;

God will be with us,

He’ll show us the way.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You do not give us a spirit of fear, but rather You grant us power, love and a sound mind in every situation and circumstance. Forgive us for not seeking You to be our strength and stability from the onset of our storms. Teach us to earnestly seek You in all things. Lead us to love those around us as we are loved by You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You to grant us Your power, love and stability, and to chase away our fear. Amen.

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

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10

Strength and Protection

Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest… – (Ephesians 6:14, HCSB)

So stand strong with the belt of truth tied around your waist, and on your chest wear the protection of right living. – (Ephesians 6:14, ERV)

Put on truth as a belt to strengthen you to stand in triumph. Put on holiness as the protective armor that covers your heart. – (Ephesians 6:14, TPT)

The reason I always look at the various translations of a passage is because so often, the slight variation in the phrasing helps my heart to make connections between what is being said and how it applies to my own life. This morning, the imagery of The Passions Translation hits home. In the same way that one wears a belt to lift heavy weights for protecting and strengthening the back, so too does truth girded around us, grant us the strength we need to stand strong in faith. Additionally, protective armor to cover the heart reminds me that we are not called to be hard-hearted, but rather, we are to allow God to protect our tender heart with His armor. I don’t know about you, but I could certainly use His strength each day, and His protection over my heart in this incredibly long and exhausting season. May we ever seek the Lord to strengthen and protect us, for His armor is stronger than anything that comes against us.

The power of truth,

God’s strength unto us;

Protection each day,

Faithful, God with us.

Place over each heart,

Your armor and grace;

Our help and our strength,

Throughout all our days.

Please help us to rise,

In truth, make us strong;

Lead and protect us,

In You, carry on.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that each time we seek You, You lovingly strengthen and protect us in the truth of You great love. Forgive us for forgetting the strength that is found in Your word and the faithfulness of Your protection when we seek You. Teach us to pursue more of You to be equipped and empowered to walk out each new day well. Show us how to love those around us in ways that exemplify the strength of Your word and protection in Your powerful hands. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to secure the belt of truth about us, and to be the armor that protects and guards our heart. Amen.

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

Search for the Lord and for His strength; seek His face always. – 1 Chronicles 16:11

Christmas Miracles

They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough. After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. – (Luke 2:16-19, HCSB)

So they went running and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the feeding box. When they saw the baby, they told what the angels said about this child. Everyone was surprised when they heard what the shepherds told them. Mary continued to think about these things, trying to understand them. – (Luke 2:16-19, ERV)

So they hurried off and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in a feeding trough. Upon seeing this miraculous sign, the shepherds recounted what had just happened. Everyone who heard the shepherds’ story was astonished by what they were told. But Mary treasured all these things in her heart and often pondered what they meant. – (Luke 2:16-19, TPT)

Christmas miracles are an actual reality. This morning, my own miracle was sleeping in until 6:00am. We have dear friends who waited for years for the miracle of a child of their own. On Christmas Eve one year ago, they had their own son, born as an incredible gift to them on the mother’s own birthday. As I have watched the beauty of this blessing in their lives and recall the joy and wonder in the arrival of my own babies, I cannot help but understand all that Mary must have pondered as she was a part of this miracle that had been foretold and had now arrived. There are miracles all around us, if only we take the time to look and see. The wonder of a newborn baby, the stars placed intentionally in the sky… So many things that point to the power of the loving Savior that became God with us. May we pause and ponder the miracles all around us, and give thanks for the greatest miracle ever given. Merry Christmas and may we all come to adore Him today and forever.

This blessed season,

Created with joy;

As God, the Father,

Sent us His own boy.

Born in a manger,

Angels did proclaim;

The Lord’s arrival,

On that very day.

Miraculous birth,

God’s very own Son;

Sent to save us all,

The Most Holy One.

O what a wonder,

For Mary to see;

What had been promised,

Had now come to be.

Let’s look in wonder,

And give the Lord praise;

All that He has done,

Throughout all our days.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the incredible miracle of Christmas. Thank You for the miracles You continue to do in and around us. Forgive us for neglecting to notice the work of Your hand, for all that exists is because of Your great love. Teach us to pause and ponder all that You have done and the unending love that You lavish upon us. Show us how to love those around us as You do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Christmas miracles, and for the miraculous You continue to do every day that we draw breath. Amen.

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

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests. – Luke 2:14

Faith Like Job

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth. – (Job 19:25, NIV)

I know that there is someone to defend me and that there is someone to defend me and that He lives! And in the end, He will stand here on earth and defend me. – (Job 19:25, ERV)

 

The unwavering faith of Job amazes me every time I am brought back to any portion of his story. Job lost his family, his friends, his wealth and his health, yet his faith remained unflappable. In the midst of all of his loss, his friends tell him all of the possible reasons why such devastation had befallen him, yet Job knew he had been faithful to God and clung to his faith in the truth that was securely planted within him. Incredibly, Job’s story does not end in his space of desolation, but rather in one of restoration, redemption and abundant blessing. God still works in the same powerful ways. When my marriage ended several years ago, I grieved the loss and did not think it would be possible to allow my heart to love again. I trusted God with me and my sons, and it was good. Little did I know, but God had so much more for me; for us. God brought me a partner and help mate, someone to be strong when I am not, yet one whom I can challenge to grow too. His timing could not have been better, as we have weathered some intense storms together. Separately, they may have sunk us, but together, with Christ as our anchor, we have remained steady and secure. There will always be trials in this broken world, but when we know and trust God, we have assurance that the difficult will not last forever. We know that our forever will be far better than anything we could begin to hope or imagine in the here and now, and with all this time at home, I’ll bet many of us can imagine some fairly fantastic settings and spaces. May we pursue the Lord and trust in Him, so that He may grow more deeply in us, an unwavering faith.

 

My Redeemer lives,

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography ❤

I have certainty;

For in my own life,

He’s loved faithfully.

Not just in theory,

Or stories of old;

Through my own trials,

My hand He did hold.

Granted provision,

For every need;

At the darkest times,

His love took the lead.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are for us, even when it feels as if the world is against us. Thank You that our ultimate hope is eternity with You. Forgive us for forgetting the strength, hope and power that is present in You. Teach us to trust and rely on “God with us”, for You are always near. Show us how to love those around us best, so that we might encourage and strengthen them in hope. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in Your faithful presence and hold fast to the hope we know is found in You forever. Amen.

 

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

 

Who is like You, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and Your faithfulness surrounds You. – Psalm 89:8

Hope While We Wait

On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, He called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then He put His hand on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. – (Luke 13:10-13, NIV)

He was teaching in one of the meeting places on the Sabbath. There was a woman present, so twisted and bent over with arthritis that she couldn’t even look up. She had been afflicted with this for eighteen years. When Jesus saw her, He called her over. ”Woman, you’re free!” He laid hands on her and suddenly she was standing straight and tall, giving glory to God. – (Luke 13:10-13, MSG)

Around this time, He was teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath, the Jewish day of rest. A woman there had been sick for 18 years; she was weak, hunched over, and unable to stand up straight. Jesus placed His hands on her and suddenly she could stand straight again. She started praising God. – (Luke 13:10-13, VOICE)

 

At first, this passage made me curious as to what the woman had been suffering from for so long. After a bit of pondering, and reading a bit further, I realized there was so much to grasp from the story, that it really was irrelevant as to what caused her crippled state for so many years, but rather that on that particular Sabbath, she was healed. Not only was her long-awaited hope realized, but Jesus silenced the piousness of the synagogue leader, who claimed it was unlawful to heal on the Sabbath. Jesus, in His great wisdom, pointed out the purpose of the healing, and how it was far more important than watering an animal, which everyone did, even on the Sabbath. As His opponents were silenced, the woman who was healed could not contain her gratitude. She stood tall for the first time in eighteen years; with her hands extended toward heaven, she gave glory to God. I do wonder if she had shown up on that particular Sabbath hoping to be healed, or simply had come to hear the teaching of Jesus and be encouraged. Either way, Hope had come. After eighteen long years, she had been restored, and immediately, she gave all glory to God.

This both encourages and challenges me in this season. I woke at 2:30 this morning, for no apparent reason. Immediately, my thoughts went to my mom. I searched for the number to call the front desk at her senior living community to check in and see how she was doing, but the number I reached, rang off the hook. Defeated, I sat on the steps and prayed for her. Perhaps that was what I was meant to do all along; just pray. In the same way that healing came to that woman in the synagogue, I am contending for in my mom. God has done some miraculous work, as He spared her life and is actively restoring much of what was lost due to her stroke, yet I am continuing to pray for total healing – full and complete. God is good, and He is able to move and heal and grant hope; always. May we be encouraged to hold hope, even in the waiting, for God is good and His love endures forever.

 

Hope is the anchor,

To which we can hold;

Steady and secure,

Sure strength to behold.

For God is our rock,

When all else gives way;

He won’t be shaken,

By wind, storm or waves.

So, cling close to Christ,

All doubts, choose ignore;

God will be with us,

Beside and before.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the God who heals. Thank You that Your timing is perfect, even when the wait seems long. Forgive us for forgetting how incredibly powerful Your love is for each of us. Teach us to trust You more – both for healing and in the waiting. Show us how to love well, all those around us, with encouragement, strength and hope. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Your incredible love that first heals hearts and then touches lives in countless other ways. Amen.

 

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

 

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. – 1 Chronicles 16:34

Weathering the Waves

A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. – (Mark 4:37-39, NIV)

A very bad wind came up on the lake. The waves were coming over the sides of the boat, and it was almost full of water. Jesus was inside the boat, sleeping with His head on a pillow. The followers went and woke Him. They said, “Teacher, don’t you care about us? We are going to drown!” Jesus stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. He said, “Quiet! Be Still!” Then the wind stopped and the lake became calm. – (Mark 4:37-39, ERV)

A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused Him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to You that we’re going down?” Awake now, He told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. – (Mark 4:37-39, MSG)

 

Though I have both read and heard the passage about Jesus calming the storm numerous times, yesterday’s message by my pastor, brought new revelation that is extraordinarily timely. The disciples were primarily a group of experienced fishermen. They had spent their years and earned their livelihood fishing on this particular body of water, so none of them were new to sudden storms. What stood out about this one was that no longer was it a storm surrounding them, but it was actually bringing water into the boat. Fear entered when the storm on the outside, began impacting the inside. As the waves began to fill the boat, they recognized their desperate need for a Savior. In their state of terror, they questioned Christ’s concern for them, as they feared their own demise. Jesus demonstrated His authority and power as He spoke to the storm, telling the wind and the waves to “Be still!”  We are no different. Often, we neglect to pray about things that are “out there”, but when they come close, or affect us directly, we suddenly find ourselves in the midst of the storm. The beautiful thing is that Jesus will still respond to us in the same way that He did to His disciples. 

1) In the midst of the storm, we need to seek Jesus. 

2) As we do, our prayers have the power to calm the storm. 

3) In the midst of the storm, we need to anchor ourselves to God’s love. 

Jesus has the power to not only calm the storm around us, but He calms the chaos within us as well. Sometimes, they are simultaneous, yet other times we will be brought to a space of His relentless grace, simply to be at peace in knowing that He is in the boat with us. Our boat will not sink when He is aboard. May we hold fast to the Anchor who is our hope, and remember Who is in the boat with us through the storms.

 

When the storm surrounds,

Take pause, choose to pray;

Fend off fearfulness,

Christ shows us the way.

Even when the waves,

Break over our boat;

If God is with us,

He’ll keep us afloat.

It takes but a word,

An act of God’s will;

Peace will be present,

And waters made still.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that no matter what storms surround us, or even the waves that make way into our boat, You remain with us. Thank You that all power and authority are Yours, and that in You, we have access to be anchored in Your love and calmed in the storm. Forgive us for our fearfulness when the waves crash too close to our own boats. Teach us to come to You in both the calm and in the storm, remembering it is You to whom we need to anchor ourselves to stay afloat. Show us how to love those around us well, so that they too may find hope and peace and strength to weather the storms that come their way. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we anchor ourselves to Your love each day, as You keep us safe and secure through every wave that comes our way. Amen.

 

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

 

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure… – Hebrews 6:19a