When Life Is Not a Straight Line

 Truth or untruth:  The Christian life is a straight line.

Oh my.  I wish it were true.  I wish I could sit here and declare that my life, my living on this earth thus far, has been a straight-as-an-arrow life.  I wish I could declare that every decision, every action, every word uttered, and every thought thought has been as straight as a straight man might be.

However, I’ve been bent, I’ve been off my

mark, I’ve made some miss-guided decisions.  No, my life has not been lived in a straight line. 

Has yours?

Probably not.  Well then, I have some good news for the two of us … along comes grace. 

ALONG COMES GRACE!

Anne Lamott throws out this question in her book – “Does God know how messed up I am?”  (Anne Lamott Help Thanks Wow)

Anne is saying that her life has not been lived in a straight line. 

We have questions – about God, and how He views our less than straight-as-an-arrow life. 

  ~Does God get mad at us?

    ~How can we get out of this mess? 

      ~What if I’m too far gone?

        ~Am I a doomed loser?

          ~Do I still have worth?

If I were to diagram my life, it would be a short straight line, a curve, a few circles, more curves, a hill, a valley, a few round-abouts with seemingly no exit point, and a few more twists and turns and curves and on and on and on.

You see, my life has not been a straight line. 

And then comes grace.

And it comes in through Romans 5:20 – “where sin abounds, grace abounds even more.”

Grace abounds more!

Where sin increased, grace increased even more.  How incredible is that?

I don’t know your life.  I don’t see the twists and turns you have made, nor the bad decisions that haunt you. 

I just know this --- God’s grace is more than sufficient for any and every flaw you might have in your life.

So, if your life can be described more like a circuitous pilgrimage of loops, lapses, heartaches and hurrahs, then be encouraged.  “Where sin abounds, grace abounds more.”

I love the refrain of this hymn

Grace, grace, God’s grace

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within

Grace, grace, God’s grace

Grace that is greater than all our sin

I rest on this truth today … when life is not a straight line, along comes grace.

Thanks be to God!

Internet Church Blog Site

Offering Words of

Hope Encouragement

Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Is God Still in Control

Have you ever seen such a time as this? 

~Global warming … or not

~America elects the President nobody wanted

~Isis in control of Washington

~The Trojan Horse is alive and well in

   America

~Oil runs out in 2028

~Big Brother is everywhere

~The Anti-Christ implant is coming

Wow!  What fantastical events we possibly face – and all of these pseudo-headlines are out of my own imagination.

Okay, take a deep breath and consider this. 

Yes – we have some horrible circumstances brewing in this world.  We have some brilliant world leaders on stage, and we have some despicable desperados. 

Now what?

Hang with me for another minute. 

I read this a few minutes ago …

Though the fig tree does not bud

And there are no grapes on the vines,

Though the olive crop fails

And the fields produce no food,

Though there are no sheep in the pen

And no cattle in the stalls

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

He enables me to tread on the heights.

(Habakkuk 3:17-19)

Despite it all, God is our strength.

He makes me sure-footed like a deer,

I can climb higher … just because HE IS IN CONTROL!

The old hymn assures us of this …

     When all around my soul gives way

     He then is all my hope and stay

Need strengthening?

Don’t go to LA Fitness, or Gold’s Gym, or your local weight-lifting station.

Habakkuk says THE SOVEREIGN LORD IS MY STRENGTH!

And I cling to that today.

Thanks be to God!

Internet Church Blog Site

Offering Words of

Hope Encouragement

Inspiration

One Word at a Time

God Says "Go BIG"

God says the phrase BE NOT AFRAID 365 times in the Bible.

He is trying to tell us something.

BE NOT AFRAID! God, that is easy for you to say. Do you see what I deal with down here? Do you know the people I work with? Do you see the kind of church I attend? Do you know who is in control of our government? And you say BE NOT AFRAID?

And the phrase remains … 365 times. These words first came to my attention in 1994 when I was facing a job change. My company moved to Nashville and I was left behind in Waco. Who gets left behind in Waco, Texas?

I found Joshua 1:9 and latched onto that verse. I read it every day for many days and weeks. I clung to it like a life preserver.

It says this: “Be not afraid nor dismayed, for I, the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Even as I type these words this morning, my spirit is moved within me and I feel a calm assurance that God is still with me, He still watches over every step I take, every moment of my mostly mundane life. How amazing is that?

A new writer that I’m into right now is Bob Goff. He says this: “God keeps telling us to be not afraid, to go big.”

Go BIG!

I like that. That sounds a lot like the kind of God I want to hang with.

GO BIG!

Here’s my take on that. Let’s say God gives you an idea. Go start something – a school, a business, a book, a not-for-profit foundation – whatever. And God says … Go see what you can do?

That’s it. “Go See What You Can Do!”

No boundaries, no lines drawn in the sand, no restraints, no restrictions, no rules of do’s and don’ts. Just “go see what you can do.”

When I started this blog – Internet Church – I had a vague idea that I wanted somehow for these posts to be full of hope and encouragement. You don’t need another sermon on what you should do or how you should be. You don’t need to be reminded of your failures or how unsuccessful your life is. You just need encouragement founded in the word of God.

And so that is what I’ve started. God basically was saying to me – “Michael, Go See What You Can Do.” And on February 20, 2013 that is exactly what was begun. 

How can I talk about my writing life without sounding like a braggart? I shall not. All I can say is this … I’m really doing my best version of GO BIG. I’m using whatever talents, thoughts, skills and heart and soul I have to encourage someone along the trail.

I hope you find your BIG.Internet Church Blog Site
Offering Words of
Hope Encouragement
Inspiration
One Word at a Time

I Will Never Leave You - a Promise

Dear Child:

I know you said the words, but I just can’t leave you alone.  I love you. 

Oh, you think you stopped me short back then when you said “Leave me alone.  I don’t trust you.  How could you let this happen in my life?”

I heard you.  I heard your bitterness, your confusion, your distrust.  I heard it all. 

But I can’t walk away.  I have too much invested in you to just let your drift along.

I’ve reached out for you in a thousand ways.  I’m still reaching. 

When you are ready, just call out. 

Just say, “Hi, it’s me.  I’d like to talk again.”

And I’m there, by your side, offering myself in new and wholesome ways. 

Do you remember what I once said?  “I will never leave you or forsake you.” 

It’s still true. 

Even when you don’t want me near, I’m near.

Even when you are angry, I hold your tears.

Even when you run so fast and so far, I am able to keep up with you.  You are never out of my care, or out of my sight.

I promise I will never leave.

Never!

(This is letter #13 from my book 

The Letters, Offering Hope, Encouragement, Inspiration)

P Michael Biggs

Internet Church

Offering Hope

Encouragement

Inspiration