thoughts by John Grant Archives - Daily Thoughts about God

Published July 24, 2024

God is Nigh

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. Psalms 34:18

In my younger years, scouting was very much a part of my life, and I attained the rank of Eagle. Our troop was a great one and all of the leaders were veterans of World War II, so they ran the troop like they ran the military. I never understood why, but we always closed every troop meeting with the singing of Taps.

Later in life, as I developed spiritually, I drew the spiritual attachment. Taps closed the day that was done as the sun set below the horizon. It was the end of the day and celebrated that all was well. It is often played at burials signifying the end of a life. The final bugle call of the day on military installations, Taps is played at military bases as a signal to service members that it is quiet time or “lights out”.

The key to me is “God is nigh.” This is a reminder that God is close to those who place their hope and trust in His promises. God’s word is Truth and He cannot lie so if we take Him at His word He will hear our cries for help and respond as He draws near to us because of His great love for us. Nigh is an old-fashioned word that can be used as an adjective or adverb to mean near.

James 4:8 tells us to draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. James promised that when we resist Satan, he will leave. In verse 8, James calls us to draw near—to move closer—to God. This comes with an additional promise: God will respond by moving closer to us. That’s an incredible act of mercy on God’s part.

What was causing fights and quarrels among the Christians to whom James was writing? They were living by the world’s wisdom. This false perspective says human beings should do whatever it takes to get what they want in this life, even if it hurts other people. James says that to live that way is adultery, but God gives grace. Christians should repent and move close to God again. We should trust Him to provide, to be the Judge, and to lift us up in His time. In humility, we must acknowledge that all of our plans are dependent on Him, and He can change them at any moment.

So, the message of taps is to make sure when the day is done, as we pillow our head and cover ourselves with the cover of God,

…all is well because God is nigh.

by John Grant
used by permission

Fill My Cup Lord.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32

It was a schedule crowded day and this pastor, who I personally knew, had a pre-marital counselling conference he really didn’t want to do. On top of that the couple was late. While he waited in not a very happy mood for them to show up, he sat down at the piano to pass the time away. While sitting there, he pecked out a hymn that has become an all-time great.

The song was Fill My Cup Lord. His name was Richard Blanchard. Blanchard’s method of composition was to write the words to his pieces after developing a thought or reading Scripture, and then to write the music “by ear” to fit the words rather than composing the melody on paper. His music combines the chords and harmonies of the Big Band era with the Christian message of southern gospel music.

Blanchard’s own cup was not filled with sweetness. A lung condition required two surgeries and left him with one-third of normal lung capacity. His son, Richard, was left a quadriplegic at seventeen after an accident. And after Blanchard and his wife moved to North Carolina in 2000 to be near their three grown children, they experienced their son’s death and the fatal illness of one of their daughters.

Nevertheless, during his forty-year ministry, Blanchard composed dozens of gospel hymns, wrote a musical about Francis of Assisi, produced a regular newspaper column, wrote a biography of Bishop John Branscomb, and launched a popular television ministry in the Miami area.

It all began with the annoyance of a couple late for an appointment. Sometimes God takes the time we sought to kill and by a kind of quiet miracle turns it into something that will live forever.

What is your “fill my cup prayer”?

Jesus, I come to you knowing that I cannot fill the emptiness inside me or make me whole. I am coming to you because you have already made this possible for me. So, I bring you, my empty cup Lord, since I thirst and hunger for your fullness, and the word says that I will be filled. Fill my cup, Lord.

Whenever you feel annoyed, God can use that time to do great things. Never forget that.

by John Grant
used by permission

Where is Your Trust?

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.” – Psalm 20:7-8

What object or person do you trust? Where is your security? The dictionary definition of trust is “firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.”

We live in a world of misdirected trust. People put their hopes, dreams and security in the things of this world. Now, not all things of the world are necessarily bad, but no matter how valuable or useful they are, they are not where our total trust should reside.

The Psalmist says it so well. Some trust in chariots and horses (meaning the physical things of this world) and then admonishes us to trust in God. When we look around our world, we see people polishing their chariots and others grooming their horses. The chariots will rust and the horses will become lame, but those who put their trust in God will be on their feet standing tall.

Rule number one is to not put our trust in ourselves, but totally trust and depend on God. It’s easy to put ourselves first. When something good happens, we want to congratulate ourselves with a reward. When something bad happens, we want to console ourselves or find someone to blame. In other words, we often have a “me-centric” starting place. We should put God first in our life.

The words translated “trust” in the Bible literally mean a bold, confident, sure security or action based on that security.” The practical consequence of faith in God is trust, which we prove by living out our full acceptance of God’s promises day by day.

Where do you put your trust? To what or to whom do you look for security? Try fixing your eyes and heart on the Word of God and you will be directed and inclined to trust in Him and in Him alone.

PRAYER: Lord, forgive me for placing my trust and dependence on the things of this world. Help me to fix my eyes on things above and take the focus off of myself. Strengthen me spiritually as I look to you for trust and dependence day by day.

By John Grant
Used by Permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Born To Swim

“Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed even whom I have made” Isaiah 43: 1-7

The 2008 Beijing Olympics is history. The Bird’s Nest stadium is now quiet, it’s main mission accomplished and ready for a retrofit as a soccer stadium.

Each participating athlete has his or her own story to tell, but none is more poignant or notorious than the story of Michael Phelps, whose Olympic achievement – eight gold medals in Beijing, 14 over all – is astonishing in itself. But set against the backdrop of his early years and a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder, his performance is even more awe-inspiring. Let this be a lesson for all those who don’t fit the mold: Don’t let anyone count you out.

Before he became the greatest Olympian ever, Michael Phelps was a kid who was bullied because he had big ears and a lisp. A teacher once told his mother he’d never be successful because he couldn’t focus.

We’ve watched amazing athletes. Not a one got to the Olympics by being unfocused and undisciplined. Dreams of gold can’t be realized without incredibly long hard days and years of focused training.

But there is more to the story. Phelps achieved his amazing Olympic accomplishment, with the help of so many others-many unseen people that were there for him to achieve this accomplishment. And the best part of this, he repeatedly gave credit to all these individuals; his mother, sisters, coaches, and teammates. Each had an integral part in his success.

Debbie Phelps, an unbending champion for her son, sought a creative release for his unhinged energy – swimming. And his coach, Bob Bowman, laid out a plan that propelled him into the highest levels of his sport.

Think of the possibilities if the world viewed kids like Phelps for their potential, not for their imperfections. What if every child who faced such obstacles had at least one adult who saw the talent within and became their champion?

The Bible is filled with stories of people who depended on others for support and success. Encouragement is to a team what wind is to a sail – it moves people forward.

Michael Phelps isn’t the only one whose achievements are made possible by the work and services of a support team, so great and so complex, that God alone deserves the credit for making it possible, whether Michael realized it or not.

Eric Liddell in the classic film “Chariots of Fire” said “God made me to run.’ Michael Phelps was made to swim, but it took a lot of work, patience and determination to win the gold, both on his part and on the part of others.

The world was awed by Phelps for his spectacular achievements and the gold medals around his neck. While he became an extraordinary young man, who deserved the public’s respect, he was the awkward, unfocused little boy who ultimately triumphed and became the person God uniquely created him to be.

Remember, God doesn’t make throw aways. Like the US Army recruiting commercial, “be all you can be” and I would add all God made you to “be” and while you are at it – help someone else to go for their gold medal of life.

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

A Call to Fatherhood

“The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.” Proverbs 20:7 (NLT)

Scripture and history show us that as goes the home, so goes the society. And generally speaking, as go the fathers, so goes the home. The moral and spiritual condition of the society is always the offspring of the family.

We live in a day and in a culture that tries to minimize fathers, who are so important in the development of their children. The Bible is clear that fathers are to be spiritual leaders in the home. Dads have a vital role in bringing strength and stability to the home.

Read Deuteronomy 6:4-10. It has been called the Magna Carta of the home, which would guarantee the happiness and well-being of the family in the purpose of God. It tells us to love God with all our minds, beings, and strength, and to teach that to our children.

Proverbs 22:6 says this: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” And in Proverbs 13:22, it says: “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children.” Most people think of that as a monetary inheritance, but it applies to leaving a spiritual legacy as well.

The role of the father is to plant acorns to grow mighty oak trees. It is more important to leave a spiritual legacy than a financial one.

Fathers should love their children as much as their heavenly Father loves them.

Father, I pray for all fathers that they may rise up and instill the gospel in their children, for the sake of this generation and for generations to come. Amen.

By John Grant
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney
Used by Permission

Focus on Today

“Give us today our daily bread”. Matthew 6:11 NIV

We have prayed it hundreds of times….. “Give us THIS DAY our daily bread.” Notice the Bible doesn’t say, Give us today our WEEKLY bread or Give us today our YEARLY bread.

God wants us to trust him one day at a time. We don’t need to be concerned about tomorrow until tomorrow. You don’t need to be concerned about next week until next week. To Be Healthy, Focus on Today

This means we don’t have to stress about all the future steps necessary to make us safe, strong and secure. We just need to focus on what we need to do for and with today. We can focus on succeeding one day at a time.

Jesus said, “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today” (Matthew 6:34 NLT).

Easier said than done, right? We are “culturalized” into worrying more because we want more. We seem to never be satisfied, never secure. What really matters is not what we want, but what God wants for us. Rest assured he will provide.

Are you trusting God?

Why do you think God wants you to take it one day at a time?

Make a list of all your concerns related to your life journey. Now trim the list down to only those things you need to deal with today. See how your list shrinks. Share your concerns, and talk to God about them one day at a time.

Jesus teaches us to pray that God would give us daily bread. Obviously Jesus was not telling His disciples to pray only for bread. But bread was a staple in the diet of the Jews, and had been so for many years. Furthermore, bread was a powerful symbol of God’s provision for His people in the Old Testament.

We remember how God cared for the Israelites when they were in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt. Life in the wilderness was hard, and soon the people began to complain that it would be better to be back in Egypt, where they had wonderful food to eat. In response to these complaints, God promised to “rain bread from heaven” (Exodus 16:4).

The next morning, when the dew lifted, there remained behind on the ground “a small round substance, as fine as frost”. It was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey? (v. 14 & 31). When God miraculously fed His people from heaven, he did so by giving them bread.

We too will receive our daily bread, if only we will pray, trust and be thankful. God will provide, one day at a time. Worry not about tomorrow, but focus on each day, one day at a time.

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Is your Spiritual Battery Dead?

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:2

It is one of the greatest environmental disasters of all time and the total damage may not be known for years. It started with an oil drilling platform that had sunk a well nearly a mile below the surface. To protect from disaster, it was equipped with a blowout preventer, but something went terribly wrong when a backfire exploded on the platform instantly killing eleven people in a huge and explosive fire that ultimately took the platform to the bottom of the sea.

Subsequent investigations determined that among other things, the “fail-safe” device had a dead battery. As I read the press clips, I was amazed that for want of a charged battery, a billion dollar rig could have been saved, the lives taken spared and the environment saved. All of this happened because of a dead battery.

I could not help but think of a spiritual parallel. How many Christians get a spiritual “buzz” and get involved in everything Christian in their church and community and after a while it wears off and becomes less exciting and downright boring? It is so easy to get to burdened down with doing Christian things that we lose our glow and the spirit within us becomes weak.

Boredom kills intimacy. In my pursuit of God I have found that with a structured and disciplined Christian life comes the potential for routine and boredom. As my daily spiritual disciplines become mere routine, before long, they can degenerate into empty ritual, and empty ritual into boredom.

What can you and I do to keep our relationship with God fresh, vital, and charged up? Doing things for God may be good for the kingdom, but when we get overloaded, we get into a spiritual rut.

To keep our spiritual batteries fully charged, we need to pull away and spend sufficient alone time with God. We do that in our daily quiet time, by reading and studying God’s Word and by praying, not so much with our petitions to God, but in our listening to Him. We should pray continually, share daily and become aware of God’s work within us and around us. We tend to become what we think about all day long. Are we thinking of things above or are we thinking of things of this earth. Are we living under the arm of flesh or the arm of faith.

Remember to keep your spiritual batteries fully charged and no matter what comes your way, your spiritual fail safe mechanism will be with you in all the ways of life.

by John Grant
Used by Permission

Thoughts on life from John Grant
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney.

Marinated in the Word

‘And this is my prayer:

“that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:9-11 (NIV)

There is a real art to cooking. My bride rules the inside kitchen and I am in charge of grilling outside. But there are rules that apply to both venues.

The first one is the slower and lower, the better. The other is to prepare the meat properly before cooking. I have used various preparation sauces, different ones for different meats. Marinating is the process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking. It is a technique of adding flavor by immersion in liquid. The process can often take several hours or even overnight, but the end result from marinating and cooking slowly results in far better taste when done.

There is a spiritual parallel here. As we grow in the Word and in the Christian faith, growth takes time and it also calls for total immersion in the Word.

God is into marinating instead of microwaving. Too often Christians think they can give the word a casual and occasional quick view, say a quick prayer and be on their way. No wonder culture dictates our faith instead of our faith dictating culture.

Our salvation can begin in an instant, but spiritual growth takes time. We can read Christian books and listen to great sermons, but there is no substitute for being daily in the word and constantly in prayer mode.

When we are saturated in the Word, we gain a Word view to replace the worldview. When we are Bible literate, God gives us opinions and responses as to how to respond the situations and decisions the world hands us.

We are to be in the world but not of the world. It is not easy. In fact it is downright impossible without being immersed in the Word and spending great quantities of fellowship in pray with God. It is much more that just attending church on Sunday.

So take time to immerse yourself in the Word. Do it deliberately and regularly and the finished product will have a heavenly aroma.
(a thought on life from John Grant)

by John Grant
used by permission

The Mission Field Next Door

“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15

What do you picture when someone speaks of missions? I bet it’s probably a vision of being someplace far away. Recently, while waiting for an appointment, I suddenly became aware of the international, multi-cultured mix of people around me. They looked different than me and spoke a variety of languages. Suddenly, it occurred to me that I was in the middle of a mission field.

What is important about the mission field is not where it is located or how far we go to get there. The crucial thing is what we do when we get there.

For the Christian, reaching out in mission to share the gospel to an unsaved world is not optional; it is mandatory. When we take on Christ’s DNA, it comes with a call to mission.

Any effective sharing of the gospel must always begin with a God-given burden. We must first care. Jesus cared, but do we? Do we truly want to reach out to perishing people?

These people may be around the world or they may be around the corner. Either way, we are called to go. We are called to care. We are called to share and minister with love and the message of the gospel. Think about the mission field Jesus is calling you to? Who can you impact, perhaps even on the street where you live?

Father, when I accepted Christ as my Savior, You set me apart to go and to share. Open my eyes that I might see the mission field before me and then give me the conviction and the courage to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Amen.

Start each day this week by praying for one person you know who doesn’t yet follow Jesus.

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Just Beneath the Surface

“Do ye look on things according to the outward appearance? If any man trust himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s”. – 2 Corinthians 10:7

While riding down river through the Amazon Jungle, noticed how murky the water. It was so murky that one could not see a hand below the surface. I didn’t even try because I have heard what creatures swim in those rivers just below the surface.

I thought about how that relates to sin, which often lurks just out of sight and just below the surface of our everyday lives. Often is subtle and the sin is small. Why would I not want to stick a finger below the water just to see what it is like? Look at Lot. He started with small sins which grew and grew and then he failed.

The reason Lot failed is illustrated by an event that happened on June 5, 1976. On that day, under clear skies, without warning, the massive Teton Dam in southeastern Idaho collapsed, sending a torrent of water surging into the Snake River basin. There was extensive property damage and loss of life. It seemed to happen so quickly. Some workers on the dam barely had time to run for their lives.

But it really didn’t happen suddenly. Beneath the water line, a hidden fault had been gradually weakening the entire structure. It started with just a tiny bit of erosion. But by the time it was detected, it was too late. No one had seen the little flaw; no one got hurt by it. But everyone saw the big collapse, and many were hurt.

That’s what happened to Lot. He allowed little sins in his life to go unchecked. They weren’t major, shocking kinds of sins–just “little” sins. But they were steadily eroding his moral character, until finally the sordid incident recorded here burst the dam.

Keep your hands out of the murky water, for you never know what sins are lurking there to hook you into a life or progressive sin.

By John Grant
Used by Permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Praise the Lord

“You are the Lord’s people. Obey Him and celebrate! He deserves your praise.”– Psalm 33:1 (CEV)

What does it mean to praise the Lord and why is it important? It means to praise Him with our heart, our soul, our mind and our very being. It is important because God’s Word says it is important.

We are His people and we are to obey Him and celebrate Him because He deserves are praise. We praise Him because He is truthful and He can be trusted, because He loves justice and fairness and He is kind to everyone everywhere on earth.

He made the world and all that is within it including us. From nothing He made everything and everyone in this world should worship and honor the Lord. With His voice the world was created in the earth was formed.

He is involved in the world today destroying the plans and schemes of the nations. While nations will come and go. No matter how strong the nations are, what the Lord has planned will stand forever. His thoughts never change. He will bless those nations that worship only Him, as He blesses His chosen ones. He looks at the world from His throne in heaven, as He watches the soul. While He gave us an independent mind, nothing can be hidden from Him.

Mighty armies and great strength cannot keep a nation safe, but the Lord watches over all who honor Him and trust His kindness. He protects them from death and starvation. Not only does He protect us, but He makes our hearts glad when we trust in Him.

Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, Praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, Praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. (Psalm 150)

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

A Day at a Time

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

When Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow, it is not a suggestion, but a command. Think about it. God divided time into days and nights so we would have manageable portions of life to handle. His grace is sufficient a day at a time.

When we worry about the future, we load ourselves with more than He intended us to carry. Anxious thoughts about the future block us from our relationship with God. We can trust Him at all times, a day at a time.

There is scarcely any sin against which our Lord Jesus more warns his disciples, than disquieting, distracting, distrustful cares about the things of this life. This often ensnares the poor as much as the love of wealth does the rich.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Jesus forbids worry. Three times Jesus commands his followers to not worry. For those who are already living in worry, he commands, “Stop the worrying.” For those who are about to start worry, he declares, “Don’t make that step. Don’t even begin to worry.”

Jesus’ command is meant to keep his followers from getting hurt. Worry hurts. It affects people and their relationship. It strangles people. It chokes them. It affects even their sleep. It destroys faith. It leads to a lot of trouble.

Jesus provides prescriptions for a worry-free life. These prescriptions require attitude, life, and value adjustments. These require repentance, a seeking of divine help, and an honest to goodness evaluation of our lives.

How about you? What occupies your mind? Do you worry about the future? The formula to defeat worry is to draw close to God, to feel His presence daily and to trust Him for today.

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

The Bible as Fiction?

“O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart.” Psalm 15:1-2

It all started when a California pastor happened by the book display at a major national retailer. He was taken aback at what he saw. All of the Bibles on display had price tags that identified them as fiction.

When it hit the news there was an outcry from evangelicals who believe in Biblical truth. One leading pastor said that people should be allowed to believe what they believe, but at least the giant retail chain could label the Bibles as “religious” or “spiritual,” or something like that…… but not fiction. The retailer apologized, but no action was taken to re-label those Bibles on display that were marked as fiction. Was it an honest mistake or an intentional action by someone with a political agenda? That answer is unknown and will probably remain so.

But, what is even more disturbing is that a major national newspaper took a poll to measure public opinion and sadly more than forty-eight percent said that the Bible was fiction.

As few years ago that would have been unheard of in this country, but tolerance and political correctness has taken its toll, at the expense of the Christian beliefs that have been the bedrock of this great nation since its founding.

The opposite of fiction is truth and the Bible makes some very distinctive truth claims. It claims, for instance, that God exists. Moreover, the death and resurrection of Jesus are also key to Christian theology. There is a plethora of documented evidence and manuscripts written by historians that attest to the death and resurrection of Christ.

Other physical evidence includes archeological finds. The Archaeological Study Bible presents many notes and articles documenting how archeology has again and again proven that the Bible does correspond to historical reality.

The cornerstone of Christian belief is the resurrection of Christ. Even Paul the Apostle admitted that if the resurrection did not happen, Christian faith “is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). In this sense, making a case for the truth of the resurrection also makes a case for the truth claims of Jesus and, in turn, the reliability and truth of the Bible.

The Bible is the true and reliable Word of God, written for us that we all might be saved, even the forty-eight percent who consider it to be fiction. All they have to do is to read, believe and accept.

by John Grant
Used by Permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Instant Forgiveness; Lingering Consequences

“If we confess our sins, (then) he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

While being transported to basic training as a new enlistee, a young recruit accidentally opened a parachute in the rear of the airplane. He felt intimidated as he opened the cockpit door to confess what he had done. Expecting to be severely chastised, he was surprised by the pilot’s calm response. “Well, son,” he said, “if this plane goes down, that chute is yours.”

Life is often like that. Though others forgive us of our transgressions, we still have to live with the lingering consequences. Often the things we do hurt relationships that leave a lingering sting or we make a bad financial decision that takes us years to pay for. Some people even violate the law and have to go to prison.

The Bible tells us that if we confess our sins to God, we will be forgiven through the shed blood of the Savior, but that doesn’t mean that God will immediately erase the consequences. As the psalmist says, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.” – Psalm 51:2-3

Someone in prison may become a devout born again Christian, but that does not commute their sentence by civil authorities. People often ask the question of why do we suffer the punishment for our sins even after God has forgiven us.

He forgives anyone who genuinely repents. Jesus died for our sins, but understand that the sacrifice was to get us right with God, not to protect us from earthy consequences. The thief must still face prison, the child will be disciplined by his parents, and the adulterer still faces the risk of losing everything.

Look at the story of David. After being guilty of adultery, abuse of power, murder and cover-up, the guilt of his sin clung to him everywhere he went. Then, he confessed his sin to God before a priest and he was instantly forgiven by God.

But while God instantly forgave David, he did not remove the negative consequences of his sins. For the rest of his life, he found the consequences of his sins.

With repentance and confession, God forgives instantly. But He doesn’t remove the consequences of our sin. We have to live with those consequences. Some people think that they can do as they wish and then confess, asking forgiveness and everything will be all right. It will be right with God, but we still have to face the music composed by our past sinful actions, so careful to remember when temptations come, the price can be high no matter how much God forgives us.

By John Grant
Used by Permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

The Power of the Book

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 (NASB)

His story had my close attention, as well as all the others circled around him in a small group.

Every eye was fixed on him. His story was compelling as he told of his time in prison and what transformed him there.

He had been the Prime Minister of his country, with all the pomp and power that goes with the office. And then his government was overthrown and he was placed in prison in solitary confinement for seven years.

He was not a believer and in fact said that he went in prison as an avowed atheist, but somehow there was a Bible in his prison cell and when he emerged from captivity he did so as a follower of Jesus. He said that as he read the Word, he realized that he was not alone and that the Holy Spirit was with him.

One of his first acts was to reconcile with his captors, as he said that the number one thing Jesus taught him in prison was forgiveness. He said that if Jesus had forgiven him, the least he could do would be to forgive others.

Truly, the Bible is holy divinely inspired voice of God. It has changed lives throughout history and it continues to change lives today. The Word of God speaks for itself, but it also calls for engagement.

With the Bible must come social justice, feeding the hungry, clothing the poor and reaching the lost and lonely. It must bridge social and ethnic barriers and overcome human exploitation.

It is not a book of religion, but rather one of life and living. If there is anything our generation of Christians needs to ponder and experience anew it is the power of God’s Word. For only when we seize and are seized by the Word of God do we know the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe. And only when our faith stands in God’s power do we discover what the Word of God really is.

Truly it is living, active and life changing. It has changed my life and the lives of countless people throughout the ages. Truly it is the most powerful book ever written.

by John Grant
Used by Permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

God is Nigh

…all is well because God is nigh.

FURTHER READING

Fill My Cup Lord.

Further Reading

Where is Your Trust?

Further Reading

Born To Swim

FURTHER READING

A Call to Fatherhood

“The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.” Proverbs 20:7 (NLT)

Further Reading

Focus on Today

“Give us today our daily bread”. Matthew 6:11 NIV

FURTHER READING

Is your Spiritual Battery Dead?

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:2

FURTHER READING

Marinated in the Word

FURTHER READING

The Mission Field Next Door

“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15

FURTHER READING

Just Beneath the Surface

Further Reading

Praise the Lord

“You are the Lord’s people. Obey Him and celebrate! He deserves your praise.”– Psalm 33:1 (CEV)

FURTHER READING

A Day at a Time

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

FURTHER READING

The Bible as Fiction?

FURTHER READING

Instant Forgiveness; Lingering Consequences

FURTHER READING

The Power of the Book

His story had my close attention, as well as all the others circled around him in a small group.

FURTHER READING

Category: <span>thoughts by John Grant</span>

…all is well because God is nigh.

FURTHER READING

Further Reading

Further Reading

FURTHER READING

“The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.” Proverbs 20:7 (NLT)

Further Reading

“Give us today our daily bread”. Matthew 6:11 NIV

FURTHER READING

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:2

FURTHER READING

FURTHER READING

“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15

FURTHER READING

Further Reading

“You are the Lord’s people. Obey Him and celebrate! He deserves your praise.”– Psalm 33:1 (CEV)

FURTHER READING

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

FURTHER READING

FURTHER READING

FURTHER READING

His story had my close attention, as well as all the others circled around him in a small group.

FURTHER READING