Blazing Fire's Encouraging Blog

This week’s verses (2 Cor 3:12-18) give us some great news. We “are  progressively  being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord”. (v 18 AMP) It’s not “if” (like if I try harder or better) but “are” (yes, even today) because God is the one already doing that work in each one of us! It’s our part to stop focusing on myself, like despairing “I’m not good enough” (that’s often shame holding me back) or working harder (that often turns into striving). Instead, this chapter encourages us to “turn” to God (v 17) and rely upon Him (v 5). “Turn” is same original word as “repentence”, but rather than thinking of that just as confessing sins and stopping negative behaviors, think of it as turning our focus more upon God. He wants to transform us through RELATIONSHIP with Him, and that can sometimes start with “surrendering” or “depending” more upon Him. Also, instead of me working on changing things in my life I think disple...

I remember the day Jesus became real to me. I had known  about  him previously, but at a moment in time when I was 10, I connected with my Savior heart-to-heart, and something changed. There was an internal awareness of the presence of Jesus in a way I hadn’t known before. How that happens exactly is a beautiful mystery. Scripture is pretty clear that all things, including every living being, were created through and for Jesus (Col 1:16), so I fully believe my life was already flowing with the life of Christ, yet in a moment of sheer grace, what I had no experience of before suddenly became my experience—Jesus was realer than real! Fifty plus years later, I can confidently tell you the life of Jesus in me continues to transform me up to this present moment.   There are certain times when I get stunned all over again with the exceeding goodness and generosity of God whose extravagant love pursues and draws in his children irresistibly until that heart-to-heart connection w...

I grew up with a strong feeling that there must be something wrong with who I was.  So when I was introduced to the concept of grace, it seemed too good to be true.  I have come a long way since then, but am still on a journey to more completely comprehend the fullness of the grace and mercy of God available to all of us in the new covenant.  Paul termed the new covenant of Christ the “greater glory”(2 Cor 3:8).  A glory that Jesus’ death and resurrection made possible, by paying every price required for every sin ever committed, period.  A glory that permanently opened a conduit of connection between heaven and earth to those who simply believe. In this grace we find an ever deepening knowing of how total His acceptance is and how He joyfully meets us in any place we feel weak or inadequate.  His help is ever present; and always comes with kindness, never with shame or comparison.  Jesus walked the earth, just like us, and faced every day issues just ...