Christian Photographers Community

 




What Is God's Grace?

Rom. 11:4-6.  "But what does the divine response say to him?  'I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.'  Even so then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.  But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.  What then?  Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have otained it, and the rest were blinded."

Grace is defined by this illustration from the life of Elijah.  It's presented as being the opposite of "work," and it's because of that grace that some people are chosen by God to be His people.  That choosing is what seperates the true people of God from all the rest.

God is using the apostle to say that you either have to earn His salvation, or else you must receive it entirely as a gift.  "Grace" just equals "gift," and that just tells us that it's that gift alone that makes  any of us the objects of God's choice for salvation.

It's not what we have done or earned that makes us His children.  As the same apostle says elsewhere, "For by grace you are saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

Even our faith is the gift of God.  If you have that precious gift, thank Him for it, and give yourself to Him in all your life.  It's all by GRACE.
Al Moak

Well, rain again.  And again.  And again . . .

Thank you Al. The reminder of the "Gift" is much appreciated. :coffee:

Good morning everyone! I see that we're all getting involved in Pat's "Signs of Spring Chalenge."
I think it's great! We can all learn from each other by sharing. Peace, Ritz

This is twofold: #1, It will make us better photographers. #2, I beleive it will also make us better people.

Good Morning Great devotional Al. What  a most wonderful Gift to have.

For the first time in I don't know how long months or years I slept 7 hours, was up once and went right back to sleep. I am so exhilarated this morning after the phone conversations with my grand daughters and then a good nights sleep. 

TTYL

I'm rejoiceing with you! :clap:

Wow!  Good news on CP today! 

Marilyn, I rejoice with you about getting back in touch with your granddaughters, and for a great night's sleep!  8)

Larry, such good news about your daughter's first week on her job.  I hope all continues to go well for her there.

I am determined to get some things done around here today, so I can't stay here visiting for long. ^-^

Ruth Ann, good to see you, and I pray you are doing well.

I looked at a bunch of neat photos last evening in the gallery.  Keep 'em coming, folks!  And someday, I will get a camera again.  :'(

Well, here I are again ... and this is no April Fools joke.   ;D  I have already had my exercise for the day.  Yesterday evening the man with the free wood came to my door and asked if I could use some wood.  It had just started raining, but he dumped it in the front of my place and this morning I went over and borrowed my neighbor's wheelbarrow (they aren't home) and got it all around to the back and stacked - in between showers.   :thumbsup:  How I thank my Father for taking care of all - ALL - my needs!  The last time this man brought wood was while I was on that trip with my daughters last July.  I was surprised then, and am again today, because he told me over a year ago that he had taken another job in Crescent City, CA and wouldn't be able to bring any more wood. 

Next, I am aiming at vacuuming and getting some things done inside today.  My sister told me she would like to have the old photos I have stored in a trunk here so I need to get them out and packaged for shipment to her.  She is doing our geneology on our mother's side, and these photos are of her ancestors from several generations back.  There are even a couple tintypes in the bunch.  Kathi will put them on DVD and then, I told her, sell them on eBay.  She said she'd send them back to me so I could sell them but I'd just as soon be rid of them!   :-\ 

Well, time to get busy ... I may just walk down to the office and pay my rent today (later, when it stops raining for a while).

Y'all take care now, y'hear?

Good day!  Busy day for me.  The NEW plumber came this morning.  He is going to put in a submerged sump pump, cement the existing drain and extend my downspouts outside.  Hopefully with all that and the dehumidifier I will have a dry basement in a couple of weeks.

Then Ivalou called to tell me a few things.  Then my g-nephew Aaron called and wanted to go out to eat somewhere.  We went to Chili's and then to the Bible Book Store.  I kind of talked him into getting the Franklin Eletronic Bible...I love mine.  And all Bibles are 20% off the month of April so he got a bargain.  I think he will like it.  Aaron is slow...no, not slow because he is very smart in somethings and slow in others.  He is a people person for sure, though. 

Then it was home to get caught up on line, then shower and wash my hair for Sunday.  I have all my clocks changed for daylight savings time since this is the first time Indiana has changed their clocks in years!!

My goodness, Jane!  You want to SELL your ancestors?  :-\ ;)  Will you let each of us add those of ours we'd like to sell, when you do the ebay listing?  :lol:

Etta Sue, come over and reset my clocks now, will you?

I have had more than enough of illegal immigrants demonstrating and demanding their RIGHTS!!  They have no rights until they comply with the laws of this country!  :ticked:

I am NOT ready to "spring forward!" Sigh............

I was just passing by to see what's happening today.  Be back later to post the NEM for tomorrow.

I am going to Blue Lake this evening to Forest 6th birthday party. It is at the skating rink we had Savannah's there last year. I have emailed a couple of photos to  my Gdaughter Kim, I guess she will get them when she gets back home. I also gave her my address and phone number and invited her to come visit me sometime.

I have been home since about 1:30 just doing things on the computer and generally doing nothing else. Just reading and creating.

Thank you all for rejoicing with me re: the grand daughters, and the 7 hours sleep

See ya-all tomorrow morning before I go to church.

Quote from: Janet on April 01, 2006, 07:07:54 PM
My goodness, Jane!  You want to SELL your ancestors?  :-\ ;)  Will you let each of us add those of ours we'd like to sell, when you do the ebay listing?  :lol:

I do believe I said it is the PHOTOS that will be sold on eBay ...  :-[   :)  :o  I understand there is a market for old photographs.  Doesn't really matter whom they are of, either.   ???

I learned something new this week!   :thumbsup:  At the last Mission Committee meeting there was some discussion of putting something on the overhead before the service about One Great Hour of Sharing.  So I took some pictures of people working on the cows and made a PowerPoint presentation of it, which I delivered to the pastor on a CD.  Today we transferred it to the laptop that's used for the overhead projection and it looked like it will work.  Of course tomorrow will be the real test.   :)

The gal who's doing the deacon work this month is new so I went over this morning to help her get started and show her what's needed to set up communion.  She asked me to be one of the greeters and also to read the Prayer of Confession and of course I agreed.  She herself was planning on greeting and also preparing the coffee, juice, etc. for after the service.  Then late this afternoon she called and said she got very suddenly very sick with fever, chills, etc. and wasn't going to even try getting to church tomorrow.  So it looks like I'll be very busy tomorrow.  I'll grab hold of someone else to do the coffee & juice, though, because after the service there's also the cleanup from communion.  Always something.   :o

It's just as well Jane, I don't think a two-hundred-year-old ancestor goes for much on Ebay these days anyway! :lol:

Ritz...lol.    (sorry to all the 200 year old ancestors here....but ya gotta agree...it WAS funny. :) )

I don't have any Spring photos on this computer.  I have some on disk so will have to look and see if there are any I haven't posted.

Janet, not ready to spring forward?   Well, at 2 AM we have to.  I have to remember to set my clocks before bedtime.   If Springing forward meant we were any nearer to sunshine and flowers I'd do cartwheels.  Of course, I wouldn't let not one person see me (it'd be quite a pitiful sight)but I'd give it a shot. lol

Jane...more wood blessings. :)  Great.   I'm happy for you.  God is determined that you keep warm.  Ya think?

Al, the dearest thing I could ever know is God's grace.  And He knows, and I know, that I've received it in abundance.

Jeanne, you'll be busy in the morning, huh? :)

Now, Jane, I knew you said the photos; just ribbing you a little, that's all.  Hope you don't mind.  ;) :) (((hugs)))

You will find the NEM for Sunday  HERE  (http://www.christianphotographers.com/community/index.php?topic=5283.0)