Needing Grace and One Word

The 5th day of a new year and I have already failed Him...over and over again.   Why is it so terribly hard to obey the One who gave me life, the One who gives me grace for all my failures, the One who loves me even when I fail Him?  Grace, I need grace, and forgiveness, and He gives it, just as He showers us with the rain, He showers me with all I need.  Why can't I simply remember that?  Seek, I must seek Him at all times, I must draw near, draw closer to Him as I seek to live my life in obedience.

When the shadows appear and fear takes hold, remember God's Light.  Jesus always dispels the darkness.  During our family worship time Steve reminded us of the definition of darkness - the absence of light, even a candle in a dark place brings light, and Jesus is Light.  He dispels all darkness even where shadows appear.  As I seek Him in this year of 2014, I strive to have His Light shine through me.

Behind on our advent readings, we finally completed our advent tree, and experienced the Coming of the Christ.  What an exciting event and experience as we read through the lineage of Jesus and excitedly awaited His coming.  To seek Him as the shepherds and the magi did is a picture of how we should continually be looking forward to His returning.  He came once and He is coming again! 

God gives gifts in so many ways.  One for us is His gift of wild animals on our farm.  The turkeys have been all over our fields, with our chickens and our horse.  We love watching as they scratch and walk or fly over.

"Grow in the grace and knowledge of our 

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

2 Peter 3:18

Charles Spurgeon says, "Grow in the grace --not in one grace only, but in all grace.  Grow in that root-grace,  faith.  Believe the promises more firmly than you have done.  Grow also in love.  Ask that your love may become extended, more intense, more practical, influencing every thought, word, and deed.  Grow in humility.  Seek to lie very low, and know more of your own nothingness.  As you grow downward in humility, seek also to grow upward--growing closer to God in prayer and having intimate fellowship with Christ. "

"Seek to know more of Him in His divine nature, in His human relationship, in His finished work, in His death, in His resurrection, in His present glorious intercession, and in His future royal return."

"An increase of love for Christ, and a more perfect apprehension of His love for us is one of the best tests of growth in grace."

Morning By Morning by Charles H. Spurgeon -- January 4

SEEK is my One Word for this year of 2014.  

To SEEK Him, to lie low, to grow upward, to know more of Him in His divine nature.

"Seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all you heart and all your soul."  Deut. 4:29

To pray and Seek His face. 

To Seek His will and His ways, His direction and His paths...to guide my steps each and every day.

Have you One Word to live through this year, a reminder to draw you ever so nearer to the cross?

What are some books you are reading to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord?

I have failed miserably, and I accept His grace and forgiveness, how are you doing on this 1st week of 2014?  I will pray for you...

Always Experiencing Him,

Jody