(December 4, 2021) Norman and Margaret Moss share a meditation…

Some months back we were rejoicing in the birth of our 17th great grandchild, and all was well with us!

Shortly afterwards we had fresh reason to rejoice about God’s grace! Our daughter Verity was diagnosed with cancer, yet she has had total peace throughout this time. So many of our friends were praying for her, and we thank you all for your prayers. On September 30 she had robotic surgery and made a brilliant recovery. Such is the grace of God.

Many reasons to rejoice for God’s grace
So much can happen in a few brief weeks… but we live in daily dependence on the grace and love of our Father in heaven.

Meditating on 2 Timothy 2:1, ‘Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus,’ we felt the Lord was saying the following:

• Live in my grace. It is full and overflowing with love.
• Explore my grace. It is unending. Love every part of it.
• Be full of my grace in all forgiveness and love.
• Be abounding in my grace. There is no weakness in it, no thinning of it in any part.
• Be covered by my grace. It covers in every way, giving comfort where there is any pain.
• Be strong in my grace. It eases and cleanses and renews in every part.
• Enjoy my grace. It is nothing if it is not generous. I pour it out lavishly on all my people.

Also… ‘I have given you an inheritance, and I have given you my Spirit as the foretaste of that inheritance. My grace has justified you, not for your goodness, but in my great mercy and because of the blood that was shed by my Son.

‘The truths of your salvation are high, and they transcend understanding by sinful man. They are like a huge mountain range, seemingly unscalable but mighty in power and glory always beckoning you to explore further and to draw closer, even though your experience is only in the foothills as yet.

‘These truths are revealed that you may love, and worship and adore. Dwell on them, receive them into your heart with thanksgiving. There is set before you the sure and certain hope of eternal life, and in that day you will know as you are known. Worship now in the foretaste of the greater revelation that will be yours when you enter your inheritance and dwell there forever.

‘Always remember I am kind, kinder that you could ever understand. Enjoy my kindness today. I will never take away my kindness and my love from you. In fact, because of my generosity it will increase more and more. For you have been born into my kingdom and made anew by my Holy Spirit. You have been made as though you had never sinned and made heirs and given hope.’

God’s grace re a Saviour
As Christmastime approaches, meditating on God’s grace, kindness, and love, leads to recalling his great gift of the incarnation of his Son and his promises re our salvation and freedom from guilt.

William Morris was a British textile designer, poet, artist, novelist, printer, translator, and socialist activist. His advice was ‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be beautiful or believe to be useful.’

We remember this from time to time! Usually with a gentle feeling of guiltiness! And as we were meditating on another scripture, Psalm 119:162, ‘I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil’ we felt the Lord was saying:

‘I do not give my promises to be hung on walls, but rather to enrich the lives of my people. Be sure that you really have the promises. By this I mean that the promises become part of you, that they bless your days. For they are not sweet nothings, but are vital to your life, cheering you and building you up in your holy faith. So…

• Rejoice in each one of my promises.
• Delve into them.
• Discover their potential.
• Be enriched by each one.
• Search them out and find the sweetness and strength of them.

‘It is possible to lock treasure away in a drawer. It is possible to display treasure as an ornament. The same is true spiritually of my promises. They are most joy to you if they are in daily use. Yes, indeed they are innumerable.

‘Take delight in what I say and treasure my words. For as you do so you are like the lepers who went to the camp of the enemy and found great plunder. What joy they had that day, and how eagerly they shared with others what they had found. Be like them. Enjoy my word and put it to good use in your life.

‘So shall the promises be blessed to you and your life enriched with great joy.’

At Christmastime we praise God for the fulfilment of his promises of a Saviour, and recall…

• Isaiah 7:14, ‘Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call his name Immanuel.’
• Isaiah 9:6-7, ‘For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on his shoulders; And his name will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of his government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.’
• Luke 2:10-12 ‘But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”’ 

A peaceful and blessed Christmas and…

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Norman and Margaret Moss pastored Queen’s Road Baptist Church, Wimbledon for over 30 years, experiencing charismatic renewal since the 1960s and bringing the congregation into renewal in the 1970s when the church grew significantly. Their desire is still to encourage ministers, churches and groups that are hungry for more of the Holy Spirit and although ‘retired’ they preach/teach by Zoom. Recently they were honoured and hosted by Vessels of Mercy Ministries conference as ‘65 years and Still Ministering’ (Link: https://www.vesselsofvirtues.com/vov-youtube-channel/)
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