No matter what you are going through or growing through this week, maybe a little note on 'grace' may help. Perhaps this is just nice to read and tuck away for a future time; but maybe you will forward this on to someone who needs to read exactly the words I'm led to write today. I was speaking with my friend from Small Group this week about grace. We talked about how before Jesus, basically there was none. The only person even allowed in the ancient world to enter God's presence was the high priest. But at the moment Jesus died, after the veil of the temple was miraculously torn in two by God, grace was available to us. (Mark 15: 37-39)"For we have not a high priest (Jesus) which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:15-16, King James Version). Isn't it amazing? We actually have a promise in scripture which tells us that no problem, temptation or issue can defeat us. Nothing can tempt us to the point where we will fail because we can go boldly to His very throne. Imagine that, no intercessors needed. Just you and God. Because of Jesus dying for us, we can connect to God where he sits - which is at every point in space and time. We can say, 'God, through Christ, give me the grace to overcome this addiction, this temptation, this earthly problem, this whatever...'And He will! He will always lovingly give his mercy and grace for our situations. People hate the word sin, but what is it really? It's missing the mark, falling short of doing things the best way, it's laying in bed saying '5 more minutes', when you should be up exercising, it's yelling at your spouse or kids and being kind to everyone else, it's so may things. Oh, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak! In short, it's messing up. People are so turned off by hearing the word, that they ignore it completely, as if 'sin' doesn't exist. But the truth is, we all mess up and we all mess up daily! Again, God knows this and gives us a chance to start over every single day. I love this other 'promise' scripture form the book of Lamentations: Vs 22-24, "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, The Lord is my inheritance, therefore I will hope in him!" When I first read those words, it lightened my heart. I love that God is so good that his mercies begin afresh each morning. What a wonderful thing. If you come to Him with a sincere and repentant heart each day and say 'God, today I don't want to do what I did yesterday, get mad in traffic, yell, use bad language, lose my temper,etc. Give me your grace'. My friends, if you believe his Word, then have faith. Believe it and it'll be done. He'll be on your side helping you. "In the same way count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your bodyto sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselvesto God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments ofrighteousness. For sin shall not be your master for you are not under law but under grace" (Romans 6:11-14). These literal translations of the scriptures are my favorite, but the newer translations may make it easier to understand. Listen to how the Message Bible expand the same verses: "Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer atsin's every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ's sin-conquering death, we also get included inhis life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Neveragain will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word.You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did. "I don't know how this will apply to you, the reader, specifically. Maybe it will be different for every person. For me, I'll confess I've been struggling with my weight. I'll also confess that I'm the one messing up. I had this back surgery in December and have been using food as a crutch and a comfort. As a result of recouperating, not moving much and eating as if I were Shrek's sister, I've gained about 20 pounds which is proving very hard to lose. Yet I love to say that I can't lose weight and blame it on my bad back and inability to exercise. Poor me, the sympathy I seek will get me nowhere! I now know that I can do this. My body is still healing, yes, but I don't have to keep messing up by overeating. I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me in right food choices and make me God's instrument, in Jesus' name. I ask that, by my example or by the scriptures here, each reader can find their own issue to bring boldly to the throne. We are covered in his grace. The grace that states that messing-up shall not be our master. From the time I was little, I used to cry in church every time I heard the song Amazing Grace. I related it with the passing of my parents as the 'funeral song' Now I revel in the words and fill with the Spirit as I sing it because I understand with a greatful heart, just how good we have it.

"The Lord has promised good to me...His Word my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be...as long as life endures..."

Now that's the Good News, His grace really is enough!