evenebony

If you don't know her then you don't know me. Im shining today but she's the real celebrity. I've only introduced her to a select few, my most prized possession...there's only one you. #evenebony

He who casts the first stone....

Listening to morning inspirations again and over the music and my dramatic interpretations I hear the answer to a question I asked God last night: I asked him…what would cause someone to lie, cheat, steal…from someone they say they love? He said, “I don’t know, you tell me. You say you love me and you renege on promises, are not always faithful, and give sparingly”.  As I hang my head in shame, I know now why he continues to plant seeds of forgiveness in my heart, because it’s the true testament of His love.  At any moment when I want to line my enemies up and throw stones at them, He has a funny way of reminding me that as flawless as I think I am, I deserve a brick or two upside the head. Forgiveness is not always an act of reconciliation seen by man but a heart condition with the belief that everyone deserves mercy. Forgiveness is freeing because we know that we fight not against flesh and blood. Besides, if you are being called to forgive this is a sign that you have already won. When a sports team wins a game the benefits are so great that shaking the hand of their opponent and wishing them well is no sacrifice at all.

Then I arrive to work and I receive an e-mail from a firefighter thanking me for my service to citizens in need describing me as “an expert practitioner in system advocacy”. This made me smile as I understand one of my greatest strengths is holding people and systems accountable in a tough love kind of way. Then the Lord interrupts me patting myself on the back and says: Where is your mercy? I called you not only to do justly but to love mercy and walk humbly. I was appalled, declaring that I consider myself sometimes aggressively passionate but I am kind. He says, “Kindness is selective and can be manipulated to prove a point but Mercy is giving something that is undeserved from a special place in your heart”.

I wanted to tell Him to go mess with somebody else but I could kind of tell He wasn’t in the mood for my shenanigans this morning. :/

 

Special Grace...

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Wednesdays WELLness

 

 

Driving to work I am listening to my morning inspirations and thanking God for giving me what I dont deserve and I hear the Lord say: “I have given you a special grace, because I love you that much”. Of course my flesh was like: OK we got a little more time, lets keep the party going! *symbolically people, symbolically. keep the party going represents the nature of doing what one wants and wills with no harm or foul*. So....of course the teacher in me wanted to know what is 'special grace', and does everyone else have 'regular grace'?lol. But to my surprise after a little investigation the following was discovered:

Common grace is a lower degree of grace than special. The latter succeeds in overcoming the enmity of the carnal mind and the opposition of the sinful will; the former does not succeed. Says John Howe, "When divine grace is working but at the common rate; then it suffers itself oftentimes to be overcome, and yields the victory to the contending sinner." This was the case with the people of Israel as described by Stephen, "Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost, as your fathers did, so do ye." Acts 7: 51. The same complaint was made against resisting Israel by Isaiah, " They rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit; therefore he was turned to be their enemy." Isa. 63: 10. The same failure of common grace to subdue the sinner is noted in Gen. 6 : 10, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man." Whenever man quenches conviction of sin and plunges into temptation in order to get rid of serious and anxious thoughts, and the Holy Spirit leaves him to his own self-will, this is common grace. The process is described in the solemn words of God himself, " Because I have called and ye have refused; I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded, but ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh." Prov. 1: 24-26. In common grace, the sinner is too obstinate and self-determined in sin for it to succeed.

In special grace, on the other hand, the Holy Spirit does not leave the sinner to his own self-determination, but continues to operate upon his resisting will until he subdues it. He " makes him willing in the day of his power." Ps. 110 : 3. He " works in him to will and to do of his good pleasure." Phil. 2 : 13. He " makes him perfect in every good work to do his will, working in him that which is well pleasing in his sight." Ileb. 13 : 21. This grade of divine grace is higher than common grace. It is denominated " irresistible," not in the sense that no resistance is made by the sinner, but in the sense that it conquers all his resistance. It is also denominated " effectual," because it secures salvation. It is also called " regenerating," because it changes the disposition of the sinful heart and will by "the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Tit. 3:5.


Surprisingly I don’t have a commentary or defending response I am just sitting here like….so you tryna say I aint got a choice.lol. Grace is not about more time to play but the acceptance of an inevitable destiny. I love God I really really do, I think the problem is He taught me to love myself too soon. Ha ha.