“Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” Romans 6:4.
This week on Sharin’ Hearts Woman to Woman, Janie Ratzlaff and Sharon Hoskins discuss the privileges we receive from the price Jesus paid on the Cross. As we live in this “age of grace,” where we receive many benefits from God as His children through the sacrifice of Christ, we forget that we have a responsibility in the relationship with Him. Romans 12:1-2 are beautiful verses that lay out a game plan for the relationship with God being a two-way street. But, our greatest responsibility is to know Him, and we find that everything else fits together when we spend time to know God.
This week on Sharin’ Hearts: The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green features this special book that Joni Eareckson Tada read during the first winter of her disability. Grace grew then for her. And through grace, you will grow too!
The “why” of human suffering is an age-old question. Recently, there have been several people within my circle of influence who have faced a season of suffering. Some have come through now to see the hilltop others are still journeying through the Valley.
So, come be a part, as we examine, Grace Grows Best in Winter from author Margaret Clarkson who offers a thoughtful, biblical exploration of the “why” of human suffering.
Clarkson indicates this is a book of help for those who must live with a continuing problem of suffering, of whatever kind. It seeks to lead sufferers to discover and to embrace the character of God, so they will be enabled to live triumphantly within the hedge of suffering, wherein God has placed them, and from which in his inscrutable sovereignty He had not yet seen fit to release them.
This is not an “escape” book, nor does it emphasize physical healing, although it frankly accepts the fact that God can and sometimes does heal. It makes no attempt to probe the problem of pain from a philosophical viewpoint, nor is it a book of debate. It contains no sentimentality and offers no shallow “comfort.”
Suffering is seen as one of God’s means of enlarging the soul’s capacity for Himself, and sufferers are enjoined to seek God’s enabling that they may lose none of the present or future fullness that God would have them experience as a result. This is not the most usual view of human suffering, but Clarkson is convinced that it is the only practical, workable way to cope with its stresses.
“And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked word, yet now has He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight” Colossians 1:21-22.
This week on Sharin’ Hearts Woman to Woman, Janie and Sharon discuss the thoughts that cause us to work for God’s approval. We are reconciled – past tense; now let’s grow in grace and knowledge by studying the scriptures to be a learner that has a testimony. Learning to go from “trying” to “trusting”. God declares that He loves us so much that He does not want to do without us.
“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” 1 Corinthians 15:10.
This week on Sharin’ Hearts Woman to Woman, Janie and Sharon dive into the three areas of hindrances that can keep us from allowing the Riches of God’s Grace to flow in our lives; law, legalism, and standards. We find out how to use Jesus as the “plumb line” rather than the law as the “plumb line” even though the law reveals our sin.
“I know your works, and your labor, and your patience, and how you can not bear them which are evil;…Nevertheless, I have something against you because you have left your first love” Revelation 2:2 and 2:4.
This week on Sharin’ Hearts Woman to Woman, Janie Ratzlaff and Sharon Hoskins talk about the material that we use to build a dam and stop the flow of the Riches of God’s grace. Looking into the difference between law, legalism, and standards, we find that these things can stop the flow of God’s grace into our lives and even the lives of others around us.
“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” 2 Corinthians 9:8.
This week on Sharin’ Hearts Woman to Woman, Sharon and Janie continue to discuss the gift of God’s amazing grace. Grace meets our need, Grace gives us a family, Grace allows us to have a relationship with God, Grace relieves us from the fear of death, Grace gives us the privilege of calling God “Father”.
Grace is always flowing but there are ways that we stop the flow of it. Not dying to our flesh daily hinders us from resurrected life that God has planned for us. Christ came for us to have life with grace and the cross is the center of that life He has given.
“According to ht working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places” Ephesians 1:19b-20.
This week on Sharin’ Hearts Woman to Woman, Janie and Sharon continue to look at Ephesians Chapter One verse by verse and discuss the “Riches of His Grace.” Some words in these scriptures are difficult to understand, so Janie and Sharon spend a little time talking about the meaning of these words.
Starting in verse 11 this week, they complete the chapter with the ultimate riches, “He has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all” Ephesians 1:22-23.
“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” Ephesians 1:7
This week on Sharin’ Hearts Woman to Woman, Janie and Sharon continue with their discussion in Ephesians Chapter One. They tackle the word redemption to give a word picture of what Christ has done for us on the Cross. With redemption comes wisdom and prudence; it may take us a while to grab ahold of all that is ours because of the redemptions. There are many riches of God’s grace that are flowing toward us, we just don’t always know what all belongs to us according to those riches.
“To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us accepted in the beloved” Ephesians 1:6.
This week on Sharin’ Hearts Woman to Woman, Janie and Sharon discuss the importance of understanding God’s grace. The first three chapters of Ephesians give the position of who we are; the last three chapters give instructions on how to walk in who we are. Looking at the first six verses of Ephesians chapter one, Janie gives us much to think about as we hear how God chose us before the foundations of the world. In Christ, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
“According to the grace of God which is given to me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds thereon. But let every man take heed how he builds thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” 1 Corinthians 3:10-11.
This week on Sharin’ Hearts Woman to Woman, Janie and Sharon discuss how to build upon the solid foundation of Jesus Christ. The daily struggles of life can take its toll on our Christian walk in applying the scriptures that will help us stand in our faith in the heat of the battle. Finding truth; which is the person Jesus Christ, will give us the right perspective in thinking to overcome many adversities. Jesus is preparing a home for us in heaven and the home He is preparing has to do with how we are living here and now. What are you sending up; gold, silver, and precious stones or wood, hay, and stubble?
This week on Sharin’ Hearts Woman to Woman, Janie and Sharon discuss that there are times in our lives when the Lord appears to pull back the comfort and grace that we all want and need each day. We start to question His goodness and protective care. When we do, we open ourselves up to another set of messy emotions. If we do not bring our thoughts captive we can fall under the control of the enemy, unknowingly. The Lord’s silence may simply be His stretching us to grow in deeper faith and trust in Him.
However, if we fail to put on the full armor of God, be ignorant of Satan’s devices, fail to resist the enemy by steadfast faith, or have an unteachable spirit; we can easily open the door to enemy influence. Pride can come out of our thinking, personality, and emotions in 100 different ways. We are not to spend our time focusing on the enemy, taking our eyes off of the Lord, who is our strength, shield, and foundation for overcoming. Nevertheless, we are to look into the Word of God and find out how the devil’s tactics are shown as examples from the scripture.
The enemy cannot read our minds, but he can plant thoughts from external sources and internally stored memories. If we resort to listening, then our behavior will show that influence in our actions and the enemy will know how to further his cause in us. Remember, he can hear what we say and do. He is an expert in deception and blindness.
Satan’s downfall of defeat for eternity was in his prideful desire to be worshipped as a god and he wants to take us down that same road of worship of self. We all must battle the spirit of pride in our lives but can learn the mind of Christ to counter false thinking.
We examine scripture today that builds truth deep within our inner being to keep us from taking this destructive detour.
“Father, the hour is come; glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You: As You have given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is life eternal, that they might know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” John 17:1-3.
Recorded live on KWXC 88.9 Christian Talk Radio – Grove OK.
Sharon Hoskins and Janie Ratzlaff challenge Christian growth through the conversation of Grace. Many Christians have heard that we live in The Age of Grace, but what does that mean? Tackling this question is one aspect of Grace that is discussed. This topic has been sparked from the idea that many people suffer from low self-esteem and how Christians can overcome low self-esteem by knowing who they are in Christ. Focusing on Grace is laying the foundation on which our identity is built. With a firm grasp of Grace our true identity in Christ may be lived.
Recorded live on KWXC 88.9 Christian Talk Radio – Grove, OK [archiveorg TheAgeOfGrace width=640 height=30 frameborder=0 webkitallowfullscreen=true mozallowfullscreen=true]