From the Hearts of Children

by Amy Sizemore

What a blessing it is serving your precious children.  We all wished the moment could have been recorded when so many of the children volunteered to pray after our worship time.  Not only are the prayers coming out of these teeny tiny people astoundingly mature and theologically accurate, but their little hearts of thanksgiving are so beautiful! When it was his turn, one of the boys hesitated to find the words he wanted to pray so he began singing, “God our Father, God our Father, once again…” to which at least half of the others joined in as they continued with their hands folded and heads bowed. And then another little boy closed the prayer out with his exceedingly advanced wisdom.  Praise God with us for the wisdom of the gospel the Children’s Bible Workshop children are receiving from Him.

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Grace

by Susan Sampson

Grace!  Is there a sweeter word?  The love and grace that are Jesus, that God has given us in Jesus!  What peace and joy and rest this brings.  I think I loved this lecture so much because I am one who has spent a lifetime of performing, thinking I have to earn God’s love, that I can’t make a mistake, He won’t love me if I’m not perfect, He’ll be mad at me if I make a mistake.  These are all lies.  The Lord’s love is unconditional!  He has freely given us His love and grace.  Oh how I desperately want to RECEIVE His love and grace!

Father in heaven, please open our hearts to you.  We are unable apart from you!  We are desperately in need of your grace!  Help us, by your grace, to enter into your grace each morning.  Compel us by your love.  As we rise each morning, may we have grace to love you because you first loved us.  May it bring us great joy.  Joy we have never known.  Freedom.  May we humbly come to have you minister to us by washing our feet.  Wash us with the water of your Word.  We need your help to be vulnerable.  Forgive our fear, Father.  Help us trust you as little children.  Help our unbelief!  We want to believe, we want to trust, we want to love!  We want Jesus to be our all in all!  Thank you for delivering us from the domain of darkness and transferring us to the kingdom of your beloved Son in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:13)!  Give us the grace we need to run to you, not away from you.  Oh, that we would no longer hide in shame.  Set us free!  Jesus took our shame and guilt upon Himself that day at Calvary – help us believe!  Help us receive!  “In the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.  My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me” (Ps. 63:7-8).  Thank you, Father God, for your living Word.  Help us to abide in you, remain in you, believe you and follow you — all for your glory.  In Jesus’ all-powerful name, Amen.

Whatever it takes dear sisters to make Jesus our first love – let this be the cry of our hearts.

“My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away, for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree ripens its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away” (Song of Sol. 2:10-13).

 

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Set Free by Christ

by Susan Sampson

I wanted to share a note from my ESV Study Bible that encouraged me and spoke truth to my mind and heart. When I read Psalm 119 it is easy for me to get discouraged because I think, “I don’t do that,” or, “I don’t feel that way.”
The study note says, “The law is a faithful expression of God’s character. God sent his Son to keep the law for us. The law no longer condemns us, setting us free to accept it as our own guide for pleasing the One who died in our place.”
It’s not about my perfect obedience or my children’s perfect obedience. It’s about Christ’s perfection. He perfectly obeyed the law for us and we have been set free by Christ! May our souls apprehend this truth of the gospel and may it refresh our soul and brings us to a new place of worship, gratitude, and love for our Savior.

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