Grace Gripped

November 24, 2009

“The Lord is my light and salvation — so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble” Psalm 27:1 New Living Translation

Jesus wants to be the light of your life. He won’t force his life upon you or compete for your heart. He openly promises to be the light of your life today .. the light that leads your steps .. the light that guides you .. and the light that fills you with His joy to make you whole. He is all this more for every man or woman who trusts him with all their heart. And he knows just how deep your heart has been hurt and infected by living in a fallen world. He is real strength for today. He is not the strength that comes from exhausting yourself and then asking for His help. He is the strength that comes with trust .. a trust that God is good and promises good for anyone who places their lives in His hands .. and those hands have real nail scars  .. that became saving hands for your life. His life is the only light that repels the darkness around your life. His saving life and indwelling power  will drive out the fear and predators that try to steal the joy of His life in you. What do you fear today that only God can handle?  What will be your real strength today? Who will be your strength today?  It only takes a moment …

“The Lord  is my strength and  shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” Psalm 28:7 New Living Translation

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to JesusFollowers and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)

November 23, 2009

“She answered God by name, praying to the God who spoke to her, ‘You’re the God who sees me! Yes, He saw me, and then I saw him. ” Genesis 16:13 The Message

What does God see in your life …?

God rarely shows up in the places where you have planned to meet Him. He shows up at the places where He will meet with you … the places where you feel hopeless .. helpless .. confused .. uncertain .. at the point of giving up .. places where you think your faith is weak or wavering. And He doesn’t wait for you to clean up your life so you can meet him on your terms .. looking your best .. feeling strong and healthy. He does show up at planned moments. He even meets you when everything is all cleaned up and in working order. But .. the faith-building God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob .. and Hagar is also the faith-building God who meets you in your deserts .. your wanderings .. your hiding places. He sees every moment .. every act .. every step along the way. God knows exactly what you are capable of doing on your own. He knows exactly what living out of your own strength will produce in your heart and spirit. He knows .. and He is not going to force you. He wants a relationship of trust .. hope .. and believing .. in the hard places and in the smooth places. He just knows that you’re more receptive to His help .. His grace .. His never-leave-you promise when the world you live in seeks to overwhelm you. Jesus offered living water to a soul-thirsty .. soul-scarred .. soul-weary woman at a well. It is the same offer He has for you today. It only takes a moment …

“When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do but on what God said he would do…” Romans 4:18 The Message

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Desert-Wandering-City-Dwellers following Jesus and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)

November 19, 2009

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” Ephesians 1:18 New American Standard

Why does the Lord want to open the eyes of your heart …?

God wants you to see: The Father wants you to see .. Jesus wants you to see .. The Holy Spirit wants you to see. He wants you to see how great His love is for you .. how real is His life and calling .. how deep His love will grow .. how deeply He desires to make his home in your heart. He wants your life to be a trust-rooted .. trust-filled .. and trust-overflowing. He wants you to see how far He will go to rescue you .. deliver you .. make you whole .. and make you strong and healthy through His life living in you. He knows if  you really see out of your heart .. you will tell others. You’ll share because there is nothing greater to share. He knows you’ll share it graciously .. carefully .. and freely with grace because your eyes have been opened and you know the world you live in doesn’t see with real hope. When your eyes are opened .. you know that you can’t keep it to yourself. You’ll know that the Lord is the real strength and power of your life today. He wants you to see so that you’ll know who you are … a saint .. one who belongs to Jesus. A Called-One is simply a man or woman whose eyes have been opened and they see Jesus .. in their life .. in their world .. and wherever they go. You won’t live as one being driven by the task at hand but drawn and led by the love of God. You’ll see out of the depths of your heart and it will all look different .. just the way God designed you. It only takes a moment …

“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.” Ephesians 3:16-18 The New Living Translation

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Christ-Sighted Followers and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)

November 19, 2009

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own.” Proverbs 3:5 The Message

What does it all come down to …?

God isn’t going to force you to trust him today. You have that choice .. that direction .. that already-guaranteed-promise freely available as you begin this day .. all through the day .. and right up to the very end of the day. You may face a day of faith-moments all day long: Interruptions .. Distractions .. Temptations .. Deadlines .. Irritations .. Burdens .. Suffering .. Emergencies .. Disappointments .. Successes and Failures. The real matters of your heart are seen only by God. He sees through all the disguises and protective layers. He’s not impressed when you succeed in your own strength or disappointed when you fail in faith. God knows exactly how difficult it is to live life in a world suffocating from insufficient love .. unrelenting pressures to live for yourself .. and ever accelerating demands to make sin normal. Jesus showed us a trusting life by using loaves and fishes .. touching lepers .. giving grace to terminally ashamed men and women .. finding quiet moments to pray .. washing some friends feet .. freeing those chained to dis-eases and enslaving illnesses .. and loving you enough to be nailed on a cross when you wanted nothing to do with him. His arms are wide open to everything you are facing today. His love for you is greater than any “force or choice” trying to isolate you or make you think you are on your own. God leads with his love .. His love for you .. His love in you .. and His love through you. He will guide your steps. He will “keep you on track”. He will make your path straight. Jesus offers you the greatest path of trust today through two words: Follow Me. It only takes a moment …

“Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.” Proverbs 3:6 The Message

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Men and Women learning how to trust .. living in trust .. and trusting in the love and indwelling life of Christ. (ken@priorityone.org)

November 18, 2009

“His descent from David roots him in history; his unique identity as Son of God was shown by the Spirit when Jesus was raised from the dead, setting him apart as the Messiah, our Master.” Romans 1:3-4 The Message

What sets you apart …?

You have a set-apart history … The Jesus of history … rooted in the family of a shepherd .. turned music counsellor .. turned giant killer .. turned desert-hiding fugitive .. turned into royalty .. remembered for being after God’s own heart. You have a unique identity … received by faith .. entered by obedience .. lived in daily trust upon a carpenter’s son .. turned rabbi .. turned demon casting .. turned sin-forgiver .. turned hunger-filler .. turned life-raiser .. turned crucified-criminal .. turned grave-busting alive .. turned into a nail-scarred-risen Messiah .. turned into the generous giver of Life .. revealed as the One who came after your heart and promises to give you His. You should be different … Your history marks you … Your identity forms you … and Your mission calls you. It is these very places in your life where you struggle to take control or yield control. It is these very places in your heart where Jesus generously pours out His love and power to make you whole inside and out. It is these very places in the lives of the world you live in where God has placed you to pass along the life of Jesus. You’ll face struggles like everyone around you … but you no longer have to struggle alone. You’ll face everyday challenges in your marriage .. your children .. your work .. your friendships … but you no longer have to rely on your own answers. Jesus said he would send you a Friend … One Alongside .. the Indwelling Holy Spirit to guide you .. lead you .. and remind you of who He is and who you are. Jesus isn’t looking for you to make promises but simply to “ask for his help” and “seek his help” with your whole life. It’s His promise to you that counts. There isn’t a better way for you today that begins with anyone else. It only takes a moment …

“Through him we received both the generous gift of his life and the urgent task of passing it on to others who receive it by entering into obedient trust in Jesus. You are who you are through this gift and call of Jesus Christ!” Romans 1:5-6 The Message

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Followers of Jesus and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)

November 17, 2009

“The one thing I ask of the Lord – the thing I seek most – is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.” Ps. 27:4 NLT

What is your one-thing …?

They rarely get mentioned in public or even shared in private. Because … your one-thing could radically alter your whole life. One-Things are powerful … sometimes scary … and deeply personal. The only safe direction of your One-Thing is when it is aimed at the heart of God. It begins when you ask .. maybe out loud .. but certainly intentionally. It is the One Thing Life … a life at peace with God .. filled with the peace of God .. his shalom .. his wholeness .. a life filled and lived with Jesus … unashamed .. unassuming ..  and unafraid. God’s one-thing is the life of his Son living in you. It is His life of promise .. purpose .. and passion. God understands you completely .. inside and out. He isn’t caught off guard when you slip or stumble. He doesn’t turn his back on you when you fail. He really wants you to live in the freedom of your One-Thing that dwells in His presence. He really knows that when your life is pursuing the one-thing of your heart .. soul .. mind .. and strength you will discover God’s secret about your life: You are His One-Thing .. and All of Who He is is available to all that you long to be in Christ. It only takes a moment .. a one-thing moment .. an asking moment .. a carefree moment …

“So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.” 1 Peter 5:7 The Message

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Jesus Followers and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)

November 16, 2009

“The Lord is my light and salvation — so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? … Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:1 .. 13 The New Living Translation

What will guide you today …?

A long time ago .. a man wrote a song that he could sing all through the day: The Lord is my light and salvation — so why should I be afraid? It’s sound .. It’s truth .. and It’s promise are as fresh for you today as when he wrote it. You can sing it to yourself … whisper it in the moment … and share it with someone who looks like they are going under. You can share it from your own heart  .. remembering when you felt life closing in and God seemed far away. You can share it with a gentle spirit because you know that it is the blood of Jesus .. the Cleansing One .. who has cleaned up your life. You can share it through eyes of faith because time and time again God has shown his goodness and love to you when you least expected or felt it. Are there any unsure places in your life? Then let this shepherd-king’s prayer be your prayer: The Lord is my light and salvation — so why should I be afraid? Do the steps in front of you feel shaky? Then let the life-cleansing power of Jesus .. the Son .. wash over you with his assurance: Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. His very life will become your light .. your protection .. your assurance in an un-assuring and un-steady world. This is the life of faith .. the life of trust .. the life of hope .. the real life that Jesus offers you today. It only takes a moment …

“But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 The New Living Translation

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Son-cleansed Followers of Jesus and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)

November 12, 2009

“Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.” Psalm 34:5-6 The New Living Translation

Do you know …?

God sees .. hears .. helps .. listens .. saves .. radiates .. guards .. surrounds .. and defends. He hears your cries .. longings .. calling .. desperation. And in the midst of your cries .. He give you joy .. the real kind of joy that washes away the darkness of shame. How is that possible? Because God hears and listens to the cry of every man or woman who trusts in the Lord. It is that simple and that assured. Do you need help? God hears. Are you wearing the shame of past sin or a shame-filled present moment? God’s love will remove the shadows of your shame. Are you in a desperate prayer that is only praying for one thing: God’s trouble saving help. The good news is that God listens and saves. And then .. the Lord goes another step: He sets an angel to guard your life .. to surround you with His presence and defend you against all attackers. You aren’t alone as a ChristFollower. God has his royal guard watching over your life. Your whole life is surrounded by God’s protective detail. This the life of every JesusFollower: living in the world .. surrounded by the worlds influences … but belonging to Jesus .. and equipped with the grace of God’s saving and redeeming help. You don’t have to try and live in two worlds. You can only live in one world .. God’’s kingdom … and carry that world into the world you are living in today. Do you know how many people around you are desperate to know and experience Gods help .. his saving help .. his shame lifting care? If you need help  .. the Lord listens. If your troubles are carrying you under … God surrounds and saves. If you are desperate .. the Lord knows who you are. It only takes a moment ..

“For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.” Psalm 34:7 The New Living Translation

Ken Chester:Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Angel-guarded -Desperately -praying followers of Jesus and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)