But for God's Grace

BUT FOR GOD'S GRACE


God in His infinite wisdom chose me to be one of His children. From the time I was little, I was taught the Bible stories of His Love.

    Because I grew up in a Christian home, went to church every Sunday and even had the privilege to attend a Chrsitan school, I am sad to say I took God's love for me for granted.

But in God's time, He through the working of His spirit graciously opened my eyes and He gave me the gift of faith.  I was amazed to learn that Jesus had died for me and that through faith in Him my sins are forgiven.

Now I love him because he first loved me.  All through my life since He opened my eyes, I have with His help, delighted to do His will.  I seek to honor Him and want to glory in His name.

I humbly confess that I'm not worthy to belong to the Lord, it's by His Grace alone.  I know and believe from God's own word that nothring can seperate me from His love (Romans 8: 38,39).
    I praise the Lord for all He has given me.  A loving husband for almost 52 years, who served the Lord together with me.  I'm greatly comforted to know that when he passed on last December, that he's in the presence of the Lord. 
    I thank the Lord for all my children, 3 sons and 5 daughters.  And the all the grandchildren and great grand children He has given me.  My prayer for all of them is that they may all walk in the way of the Lord. 

I put my trust in Him.

'Tis not that I did choose Thee,
For, Lord, that could not be;
This heard would still refuse Thee,
Hadst Thou not chosen me.
Thou from the sin that stained me
Hast cleansed and set me free,
Of old thou hast ordained me,
That I should live for Thee.

'Twas sovereign mercy called me
And taught my opening mind,
This world had else enthralled me,
To heavenly glories blind.
My heart Owns none before Thee,
For Thy rich grace I thirst,
this knowing if I love Thee,
Thou must have loved me first.

                            YES!

Jeanette, St. Catharines Ontario

How has being a Christian helped in y...

How has being a
Christian helped in your life?

          I find this to be
very interesting because I haven’t really given it any thought. I have been a
Christian since I was nine years old I believe. I gave my heart to the Lord at
a very young age and I believe it was sincere but, I was so young I really
didn’t understand what it was all about and while growing up and being
challenged I know that I was not always successful in my walk with Christ.

 

          My first
challenge was when I use to go to North
Carolina for the summers; there was an older lady who
lived in the trailer park where my cousins lived. She was the one that took and
virginity and at the time I thought it was cool because I had sex and not just
sex but sex with an older married lady. My parent’s prayer covered me a number
of times during those travels to North
Carolina. During all this I was still attending
church and I never told anyone except my cousin who was involved with this lady
too. I really can’t recall how long this when on but what came out of it I
became very sexually active.

 

          Now in my teenage
years I was into modeling and dancing and both of them involved women. When I
was old enough I got into the clubs and started working as a DJ and then a
bouncer on the front door all these things just encouraged me more with sexual
activities Women !!! I was extremely fearless and bold but never disrespectful
in my treatment of people. I realized that I had went too far when I found
myself in Rochester, New York ready to go out on the stage and dance as a
stripper, for me it was the highlight that I was working toward for so long. It
involved everything that I thought I was about Dancing, dancing and that would
get me all the women and attention I desired But!!! When I went to go on stage
I totally chickened out because I saw what I had become and where it was going
to lead me, something inside me went off and I got out of there and went Home. There
is so much more that I would have liked to share that will come later.

 

          How has being a
Christian helped me in all this? WELL looking back at all of the things and
different roads I tried to travel I could only go so far because deep inside my
spirit reminded me that I gave my life to Christ and at some point that has to
mean something and stand for something. I know that it was his love for me as
His child that I wasn't killed when an angry boyfriend/husband who came home
and found me with his wife For so long I convince myself that it was my own
actions that got me out of there alive but it wasn’t it was God grace and mercy
that was covering me because he had something Greater in store for me and my
life Because I gave myself to him. Even though I was a total idiot I know God
was the one watching over me. I can recall having a conversation with an inmate
who had just came back from his parole hearing and I questioned him about it
and he replied, “I used to live in Rochester and I came home
one day from work and found my Wife in bed with another man. I went into my
closet and got my gun and shot them both in the head while they were having sex
but, I didn’t have the nerve to shoot myself so here I am at under the parole
boards control because I couldn’t control myself.” That made me reflect it
could have been me. I know this may sound a little twisted but it‘s not. If I had
not given my heart to the Lord when I did I would have never corrected the
mistakes or even realized that I was making them. Even in the mist of all the
stupid things I was doing I would ask forgiveness for them. I knew I KNEW!!! I’ve
had to learn a lot of things and perceptions all over again but, this time I
totally rely on God leadings and not my own. How has being a Christian helped in my
life? God was helping me when I needed him the most in the middle of all my
stupidest moments, God was loving and caring for me while wiping back His
tears. I know that I would have gone further if I didn’t know the Lord. Being a
Christian preserved me so I could truly SERVE HIM!!

 

       It’s
taught me that my imperfections are for someone to see God loves me. HE uses my
IMPERFECTION to reach SOMEONE that does not know HIM so; He can LOVE THEM THRU TOO!!!!
Have you at least tried HIM!!!! My prayer is that YOU DO.

Jesus_Knows_My_Name_David

Jesus Knows My Name

Dear Tom,

 

My name is David ... perhaps just a
name to you for there are thousands of Davids across North America.  But
for me it is my "handle" or my "face" as people address me.   Much
like your name Tom (suspect Thomas) is your name.   For a few people
the name David brings a smile as they remember good times I have enjoyed with
them.  Unfortunately, for others the name brings either indifference or
frowns as they remember my failures.   

 

The name for me is a source of
intimacy.   When people give me a title or use my last name I sense
distance or estrangement.   This of course could be subject to my
interpretation.   But there is no doubt that there are a handful of
people when they use my name it is embraced with love for me.   I
cherish those people.

 

The scripture teaches that Jesus
knows me by name, that He calls me by name.   This intimacy exceeds
those who my attempt to express human love for me for unlike these precious
people, the love of Christ knows no barriers.  He accepts me as I am
and He guides me to where I should be.   He provides a listening
ear when I need to bare my soul.   He actually searches my heart to
know what I am really saying.   Tom, He not only loves me in my flaws
... He has taken all my guilt and guile ... and has replaced them with His
guidance and guards me from accusations for these
failures.

 

One of the earliest verses that I
learned was John 3:16.   I have learned to repeat it bathed in His
love for me, "For God so loved the David that He gave His only begotten
Son."

 

Tom, Jesus not only knows me ... He
also knows you and loves you.   He has known you since your
conception.   And if you listen, He will tenderly call your
name.

Christs Love is Alive Today

Christ's Love is Alive Today.  Would You Seek it?

Author: Eric, Toronto
Date: October 10, 2008

I hope that as you read this, you will find comfort in the love of
Christ. I want to share a bit about what that's like that you may find
encouragement from it.



It's been said that if there is one thing that men have in common is
the ability to love and desire to love and be loved. However, it's hard
for men to love those who are not like them. It is hard to love the
dislikable, those with disabilities, those with displeasing outward
appearances, those who have done us wrong, those who are different from
us.



What would that be like to love someone who killed those you cared the
most about? It's been said that losing one's child is one of hardest
thing that a parent can go through. No parent should have to lose their
child. The order of things should be maintained in that a child buries
his parents and not the other way around. Imagine what that would be
like to have your child killed and have to love the man responsible. Is
this possible that this could be the ultimate test of love? A love so
pure that even death cannot taint it. It be beyond the reality of this
world, certainly not of this world. One might even say that having this
kind of love is only possible by the mentally disabled, those incapable
of logical thinking. But is that really so? Doesn't a part of you just
make you respect that? Doesn't a part of you yearn to receive that kind
of love? What if you were the one to kill someone's child whether
intentionally or by accident, by running over a child you didn't see?
Wouldn't you want to receive love and forgiveness? What if forgiveness
was really impossible in this world and you had to live with the guilt
of knowing you had caused such great pain and that you've caused
someone to live in a life of hatred? Don't we need to believe that this
kind of love is possible?



What if I tell you that you did kill someone's son? God's son. But you
don't need to feel the guilt for it because you can receive forgiveness
for it, not only from the father but also the one you killed because he
was raised from the dead.



What if I tell you that not only did God's son die, his death was no
accident. It was planned since the beginning of time so you would know
how much he loves you and wants you to know that love? Would you feel
loved by that? Remember the love I mentioned earlier, the kind of love
that can forgive and seem out of this world. Well, he brought it into
this world. He taught us about this love that is patient, kind, not
envious, not boastful, not proud, not easily angered, not rude, not
self-seeking, that keeps no record of wrong, always protects, always
hopes and always perseveres, the kind of love that never fails. He
lived it out in a way that no one else could.



What would that feel like to find that kind of love? What if I told you
that this love was still alive today and that you can have access to it
too? Would you seek it?



Eric, Toronto

Vision Statement: Letters For Christ's Love

Dear Friends and Family,

I am writing to you to ask for help to witness true Christian love to someone in dire need of the understanding of God's love in his life.
Can you read through this email and when finished respond back to me with a YES of NO if you will help write a Letter for Christ's Love before the end of October??
Also will you forward this to everyone you could think of who would be willing to help out.

I am writing to you from the heart. Yesterday, I met and elderly man who is deeply in need of God's guidance and love. In conversation with this man, I learned that he has struggled deeply with an addiction for most of his life. This addiction has led to three divorces in his life. Now, at the age of 65 he lives and struggles daily with his addiction and is unable to discern properly from what is right and wrong (in this area) because he is unable to control the addiction which is in his heart. This man, Tom, has been a church attendee for most of his life, actually was an organist at a local church for many years.

I am very deeply burdened, and rather disturbed by the conversation that I had with the man, for the pain and suffering that this man faces and also the pain and suffering he has caused, and potentially will cause. I want to help this man understand, learn, repent, grow and live towards a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

I prayed to God this morning about this burden and I believe he answered immediately. Concluding in prayer, the first thing I realized is that I by myself do not have the experience, wisdom, nor insight to counsel Tom and help him over come his addiction. However, as answer to my prayer this morning feel that God has asked for me to ask you all for help in the following way.

Recently I've hand written a few letters to friends and family. What is significant is that each person was thankful that I had taken the time to write a letter. They specifically mentioned that the letter had more impact because it was hand written with pen and paper rather than being sent by email!

My first goal in writing this email to you is to ask if you will write a letter for Christ's love that I can deliver to Tom. Secondly, I will share all letters that I receive with everyone on this email list so that you too can use these letters to witness Christ's love to people you meet.

Letters for Christ's Love:

If we can share Christ's Love with in the form of letters (typed by email or even handwritten) by all of you, I believe by God's grace we can make an impact.
I'm stepping out in faith here by asking you, and everyone I know to write letters that can be used to impact the lives of those who need to know Christs Love. I've included a list of suggested topics below.

Let me know if you wish to hand write a letter and I'll forward you my mailing address.

Take Action:

1. Our Action: Prayerfully, over the next two weeks, write a letter, a small message or even a word of encouragement. By email or by hand. Please write anything that God places on your heart to write about Christ's Love, I have included a few suggested topics below. Don't worry how short or long the letter that you write.. Just write :) . The impact will be based on the fact that you took time to write a letter for Christ's Love!
   
2. My Action: I will take these letters and anonymously deliver them to Tom.
   
3. My Action: I will compile each letter and email them all back to everyone in the group
   
4. Our Action: Think about all of the people you know who could be impacted with these Letters for Christ's Love.
   
5. Our Action: Pray, that this will be the beginning of a new ministry...By the witness God's given you me anyone I could build a website with all of these letters for Others to see, use and share to anyone in the world.
   
6. Your Action: Talk to your pastor, friends, or other Christians about this idea. Ask them to write in letters too.

HOW:

1. Write a letter for Christ's Love
   
2. Email it back to me: damion.steen@gmail.com

Goals:

1. To Honor God by sharing Christ's Love
   
2. Create a mini-Ministry :)
   
3. For me to follow through on my commitment to pray for and help Tom
   
4. For Tom to be impacted to OVER COME his addiction by the God's grace and the fact that other Christians were willing to take the time to write a letter. (Believe BIG in God and he will answer Big)
   
5. For ANYONE who sees these letters to be impacted by Letters for Christ's Love
   
6. To inspire other Christians to share / write out their testimonies
   
7. For all of us to have the opportunity to share the Gospel with others

Why Write:

Imagine the impact if you offered to get some of your friends to help, and 100 of them showed up?
Imagine the impact if that someone knew the letters came from all around the world.
You want to convict some people of Christs Love...I want to show that when God makes a calling to his people they will answer.

Suggested Topics:

Why do you Love and Believe in Jesus? What is the reason for the Joy that you have?
What does following God's commandments mean to you?
The importance of your relationship with Jesus in helping you overcome sin.
How have you been able to over come addiction yourself?
What rewards are waiting for those who Love Jesus and obey his commands?
What rewards are waiting for those who DON'T love Jesus and obey his commands?
Scriptural verses of encouragement and what they mean to you?
Your favourite scripture verse and why?
How has being a Christian helped in your life?
How has being a Christian impacted those in your circle of influence

--
I pray that our letters will be light to brighten the darkness in this world:
Isaiah 59:9: [God says,] "I will also make you a light for the Gentiles that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the Earth."