Wednesday, April 4, 2018

THESE (WE) are THEY

Have you thanked Him?
Have you praised Him?
Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?
Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?
1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)
The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.
“Because salvation is by grace through faith, I believe that among the countless number of people standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palms in their hands (see Revelation 7:9), I shall see the prostitute from the Kit-Kat Ranch in Carson City, Nevada, who tearfully told me that she could find no other employment to support her two-year-old son. I shall see the woman who had an abortion and is haunted by guilt and remorse but did the best she could faced with grueling alternatives; the businessman besieged with debt who sold his integrity in a series of desperate transactions; the insecure clergyman addicted to being liked, who never challenged his people from the pulpit and longed for unconditional love; the sexually abused teen molested by his father and now selling his body on the street, who, as he falls asleep each night after his last 'trick', whispers the name of the unknown God he learned about in Sunday school.
'But how?' we ask.
Then the voice says, 'They have washed their robes and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'
There they are. There *we* are - the multitude who so wanted to be faithful, who at times got defeated, soiled by life, and bested by trials, wearing the bloodied garments of life's tribulations, but through it all clung to faith.
My friends, if this is not good news to you, you have never understood the gospel of grace.” – Brennan Manning
out of his fullness we are fulfilled! And from him we receive grace heaped upon more grace! – 1 John 1:16 (TPT)

I was deeply honored yesterday to share with my friends from DHHS and the great State of West Virginia in a breakout session emphasizing the ROLE of FAITH in the opioid crisis.  

And each time I share the amazing work of GOD and my friendsacross OHIO and other places, I am always REMINDED of GOD’S GRACE; reminded of story after story of those who CLUNG to and continue to CLING to faith, those who were held up by the FAITH of OTHERS, those who were EXTENDED grace, those who EMBRACED grace in the most challenging of times to EMERGE as difference makers!

It reminds me of the promise of GOD that says, “My grace is sufficient for you My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation…” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (AMP)
ALWAYS AVAILABLE REGARDLESS...
That is why I love the picture Manning paints.
It reminds me of this song…


These (WE) are they who have come
Out of great tribulation
They have washed their robes
In the blood of the Lamb,
They have gone through much sorrow
Into great jubilation,
They're redeemed by the blood of the Lamb
I don’t think I or Manning need to say much more today.
it’s by God’s grace that you have been saved. You receive it through faith. It was not our plan or our effort. It is God’s gift, pure and simple. – Ephesians 2:8 (V)

Thank HIM for IT today!

HAVE a BLESSED DAY!
I love you all!
OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE

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