Desperate Faith

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

September 9, 2025

Desperate Faith

Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God,

and the other prisoners were listening.

Acts 16:25 

Many years ago, cruise ships with casinos began offering overnight cruises out of Biloxi, MS. A church there was concerned when they learned the cruise ships offered childcare in areas that included toy gambling equipment. The church prayed for a season (a month), and then the Lord led them to initiate their own overnight childcare, at no charge. Soon, and very soon, their facility was full of children whose parents were off on a casino cruise.

Desperate times call for desperate faith. It wasn’t medical research that caused Naaman to dip seven times in the river; it was desperation. (2 Kings 5) Peter was jailed in chains, and his desperate friends, behind closed and locked doors, prayed for him, and an angel of the Lord escorted Peter out of the prison. (Acts 12) Paul and Silas were chained between the guards in a prison cell. With no other options, they prayed and worshipped God by singing hymns.

My Takeaway: I am blessed to be very comfortable in my retirement years. However, as I look over my prayer list, I see many friends and family members in truly desperate circumstances. I pray that my acts of faith in praying for them will be as effectual as Naaman’s trust, as the prayers of Peter’s friends and those of Paul and Silas.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

H Times 3

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today

NOTE: Cheryl and I will be traveling over the next two weeks, and I will have limited email availability. I may not be able to promptly reply to your questions or comments. I have worked ahead, and the next two weeks of meditations are already in the cue and ready to be posted each day.

September 8, 2025

H Times 3

I will sing of your love and justice, Lord.

I will praise you with songs.

I will be careful to live a blameless life—

Psalm 101:1-2a

I am thankful to my friend, Rev. Dick Brown, for teaching me the acrostic H³. It is so helpful in remembering the basic qualities of a follower of Jesus: Hunger for God; Heart for people; and Hatred of sin. Elements of all three of these are used by King David in Psalm 101.

When God’s people were preparing to enter the Promised Land, Moses gave them final instructions. As the Covenant people of God, they were promised God’s blessings: “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world.” “But if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you” (Deuteronomy 28:1, 15).

As the King of Israel, David was responsible for modeling Covenant-life for his people. In this psalm, he is taking responsibility to lead the people in faithfully obeying God’s commands.

Jesus fulfilled Psalm 101, and Jesus makes it possible for us to fulfill Psalm 101: “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

I believe Psalm 101 can serve as a reminder of the importance of modeling before those in our circle of influence the life of a fully-devoted follower of Jesus.

My Takeaway: While there may be nuances in how each of us is experiencing the life in Christ, depending on our own Christian maturity and our environment, we’ll always be close to the heart of Christ if we remember H³, Hunger for God; Heart for people; and Hatred of sin.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

God Can Be Trusted

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

September 5, 2025

God Can Be Trusted

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm,

for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

Hebrews 10:23

I recall reading, many years ago, Principals of Spiritual Growth, by Miles Stanford. In the book, he wrote, to be disappointed with yourself, is to have believed in yourself. I believe this is a thought worth pondering, but don’t tarry here too long. The essence of Stanford’s thought is simply an issue of whether we are trusting God to keep His promises or are we trusting in ourselves for our spiritual growth. I learned a long time ago that my flesh cannot be rehabilitated. I can’t make myself become a better person through spiritual disciplines, no matter how hard I try. The Apostle Paul understood this and used rather graphic descriptions for our entering into new life in Christ. Look at how he discusses death to self in Romans 6, or perhaps even more graphically in Galatians 2:20, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Emphasis mine)

To be disappointed in circumstances and how we relate to those circumstances is a part of life. As an example, consider the two disciples walking to Emmaus on Resurrection Sunday. (Luke 24) They were disappointed and confused. Then something happened, or rather, someone happened. “They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32) When we are disappointed in our circumstances, or in ourselves, let’s have a go-to place that can ground us once again in the eternal truth that God can be trusted to keep his promise. We may not have something as dramatic as the two disciple’s Emmaus Road experience, but when we feel ourselves slipping into the mire of disappointment, we need our own pathway out of the mire.

My Takeaway: I have two pathways to help me in times of disappointment. The first is Psalm 23 and reminding myself, “thou art with me.” The second is in the Eucharist where upon receiving the elements of Holy Communion, I am reminded that I am experiencing anew the presence of Christ within me. In both places, I am reminded, God can be trusted to keep his promise. 

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

Eternally His

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

September 4, 2025

Eternally His

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

    my fortress where I will not be shaken.

Psalm 62:6 

Yesterday, I applied the imperative of Hebrews 12:2, keep your eyes of Jesus, in a general way of encouraging us to keep our attention on Jesus to stay on our right paths here on earth. However, this imperative also reminds us that, “Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.” This part of the imperative helps me put the verse quoted above in context.

Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:28) The Apostle Paul also alludes to this image in Philippians 3:12, “but I press on to lay hold of that for which Christ has laid hold of me.” (NRSV) I understand these, and other passages, as proclaiming I am secure in my salvation in Christ Jesus. I don’t drift in and out of the eternal life Christ as promised me.

However, I also know all of us are in one of three places: In a crisis, coming out of a crisis, or entering a crisis. Or, as my good friend, Tom Grady, put it, there are only two kinds of people in the world; those who have been hurt, and those who have been hurt more. We live in a dangerous, evil world. Some places are more dangerous and eviler than others, but where we are is evil and dangerous all the same. Being a follower of Jesus is not a guarantee of complete safety and security from the forces of evil on earth. Rather, being a follower of Jesus is a guarantee we too will have to endure “the cross” and its shame.

My Takeaway: BUT, after the cross, Jesus is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. AND, because Jesus is my rock and my salvation, my fortress, where I will not be shaken, when my time comes, he will receive me unto himself! 

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Our Eyes on Jesus

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

September 3, 2025

Our Eyes on Jesus

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Matthew 6:21

One of my heart’s desires is a simple lifestyle and a life free from clutter. I can hear Cheryl laugh out loud when she reads this, because I am the KING of clutter. Even so, I don’t like it. I look at my writing desk; there is barely enough room for my laptop with pens, and scraps of paper and odds and ends and books here and there. I know my hesitation in “de-cluttering” lies in the need to decide on each piece of clutter, and I am also the KING of procrastination; I avoid making decisions.

So, do I treasure clutter? No, I don’t think so, but let’s leave this rabbit trail and ponder what Jesus is saying in the verse above. I hear Jesus saying my treasure lies in knowing where I am going, eternally, and knowing the source of my strength. And the desires of my heart lie in not allowing clutter, hurriedness, or business to interfere with my pursuit of my right-standing with my Creator.

How do we weed the clutter, hurriedness and business out of our lives? It is simple, really, we daily apply the imperative of Hebrews 12:2, we keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.

My Takeaway: We can also pray, “I am not my own, I am Thine. By creation and redemption, I am Thine.” This daily prayer will help keep us in God’s grace for each day.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

Freedom in Christ

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

September 2, 2025

Freedom in Christ

He is so rich in kindness and grace

that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son

and forgave our sins.

Ephesians 1:7 

The word freedom is prominently proclaimed by political leaders and the media in today’s culture. Some of the people in Gaza proclaimed their desire for freedom by killing over one thousand people, and taking another two-hundred fifty hostage, on October 7, 2023. In contrast, God purchases our freedom by his own self-sacrifice.

The New Testament uses the word free over one hundred times, most often in the Letter to the Galatians where it is used sixteen times. As Christians, we understand the most important quality of freedom is knowing that freedom comes not through our power, but through our submission; not through our control, but through our surrender; not through our possessions but through loving our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Paul makes clear in the verse quoted above, through our faith in Christ Jesus, we have been set free by the only One who can condemn us, therefore we can rejoice in these words of Jesus, “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” (John 8:36) Free for what you ask?

My Takeaway: 1- “For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.”

2- But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit. (Romans 6:7 & Romans 7:6) 

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

God Make Me Right Again

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

September 1, 2025

God Make Me Right Again

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

    and put a new and right spirit within me.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.

Psalm 51:10, Matthew 5:6 (NRSV) 

Whenever I have a craving for food, it is generally for something salty or sweet, foods that are not healthy for me. I can’t recall ever having a craving for vegetables, maybe for tropical fruit, but never for vegetables. A craving is a powerful desire for something, so it is not limited to food. I’ve certainly experienced cravings for a comfortable lifestyle, for success in my work, and on the tennis court.

My cravings differ quite a bit from those of the psalmist and Jesus’ beatitude quoted above. My natural cravings are like drinking salt water, they only make me thirstier. When I think about my cravings attempting to meet my deepest needs, I am reminded of Paul’s lament in Romans 7:24, Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by my natural cravings? (My paraphrase) Of course, Paul doesn’t ask a question without giving us an answer: “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:25a)

One of many reasons I have come to crave the sacrament of Holy Communion weekly is that within the liturgy, I affirm my desire for God to make me right, again.

My Takeaway: Our answer is Jesus: “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” (Romans 8:26) The Holy Spirit prays for us to seek a clean heart, a new and right spirit. 

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

His Goal Is to Make Me His Own

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

August 29, 2025

His Goal Is to Make Me His Own

I will make you my wife forever,

    showing you righteousness and justice,

    unfailing love and compassion.

I will be faithful to you and make you mine,

    and you will finally know me as the Lord.

Hosea 2: 19-20 

I summarized the Bible as: God created humankind to dwell with Him for all eternity. Humankind rejected God. God has been and will continue to devote all his energy to winning back humankind.

With my hindsight, I can see all the steps, missteps, twists and turns in my life. And I can see the Hand of God giving me opportunity after opportunity to turn to Him and accept His offer of new life in Christ. I can remember when I did trust in His grace and accept Jesus as my Savior. I can also see all the times since then when I was,

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it

Prone to leave the God I love, 

And I can recall all the times I have said,

Here's my heart Lord, take and seal it

Seal it for Thy courts above

(Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing) 

My Takeaway: Along my journey, I have learned God’s goal for me has never been to make me happy. His goal is to make me His, and His alone. His goal is not to give me what I think I want. Rather, His goal is for me to worship Him with reverence and awe.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

“Houston, We Have a Problem!”

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

August 28, 2025

“Houston, We Have a Problem!”

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do,

and he will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3:5-6 

I believe for most of my readers this is a familiar passage. As for me, I see this passage every day. It is Cheryl’s favorite Bible passage, and she includes it for the signature in her email account. Every week in our worship service, we affirm Jesus’ imperative to love (trust) God with your whole heart, soul and mind, so the essence of today’s passage is very familiar to me. Certainly, if we seek to follow this teaching, every day, we will stay in God’s grace for the day.

Today, the second line has captured my attention; “do not depend on your own understanding.” My own understanding of my life is influenced by the evening news, by social media accounts I follow, by my interactions with friends and family, and by everything that my eyes, ears, and mind takes in each day. My quick calculation revealed these cultural influences account for 94% of my awake hours each week. “Houston, we have a problem!”

On the positive side, I believe I am doing much better acknowledging God in all my ways, but I can see how my leaning on my own understanding contributes to my missing His direction for my life. Lord, have mercy upon me. Christ, have mercy upon me. Lord, have mercy upon me. Yes, and amen.

My Takeaway: “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.” (Proverbs 9:10)

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

Speak Out

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

August 27, 2025

Speak Out

So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.

Colossians 1:28-29 

“Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!” (Psalm 107:2) You may be more familiar with this verse rendered as, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,” but I really like the NLT’s translation as it makes the statement clearly an imperative as I believe the author of the psalm intended.

Speaking out was exactly what Paul gave his life to after encountering his redemption on the road to Damascus. (Acts 9) Two points caught my attention as I read today’s passage. First, when Paul wrote of his desire to present people to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ, he was not the one making them perfect. God had already done that when they confessed their sins and their faith in Christ Jesus. Paul was just presenting to God his newly redeemed children.

Secondly, it was real work for Paul to give his time and energy to the task of speaking out about God’s redeeming us through faith in Christ. And Paul was able to give himself to this work because of Christ’s mighty power that was working within him.

My Takeaway: Christ has redeemed us and calls us to speak out! Like Paul, we can depend on Christ’s mighty power that is working within us to fulfill our assignment.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Christ Is All That Matters

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

August 26, 2025

Christ Is All That Matters

Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

Colossians 3:10-11 

Like yesterday’s passage from John’s Gospel, in today’s scripture, Paul’s affirmation of our right standing with God is just as simple and straightforward as is Jesus’ words. Again, we ask, “Can it be this simple?” and again the Holy Spirit speaks into our heart, “YES!”

And again, we find that religious leaders and scholars have spent the last two thousand years making Paul’s teaching much more complicated. Listening to these other voices, countless Christians seem to fall in and out of grace, in and out of their salvation, their right standing with their Creator. I wrote in my meditation, Flawless, a few days ago, that the Apostle Paul affirmed our right standing with God in Colossians 1:22,

“(God) has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.”

In today’s scripture, Paul is calling us to accept our position in Christ and yield ourselves to work cooperatively with God as He forms Christ within us, as He leads us to live out life in our new nature.

My Takeaway: Christ is all that matters! Can it be this simple? Yes, because Christ lives in you! 

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

Be at Rest

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

August 25, 2025

Be at Rest

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”

John 5:24 

My understanding is that biblical history from the time God called Abram, later Abraham, is approximately four thousand years, (Genesis 12) Throughout these four millenniums, humankind has been trying to understand God, and especially God’s relationship to humans. Jesus’ statement, quoted above, is simple and straight forward. Can our relationship with God be this simple? I think so, although humankind has been trying to make it more complicated for the last four thousand years.

Cheryl and I use the app, Daily Office, as a guide for our morning prayer time together. Included in the daily guide are readings from the Psalms, OT, NT, and a Gospel reading. A simple summary of these readings is that humans have been beset with all manners of trials, tribulations, oppressions, and generally have been continually warred upon by other humans and the forces of nature.

As I think about the people on our growing prayer list, and the turmoil in our world today, I am comforted by the words of Corrie Ten Boom, author of The Hiding Place.

“If you look at the world, you'll be distressed.

If you look within, you'll be depressed.

If you look at God, you’ll be at rest.”

 

“You can never learn that Christ is all you need,

until Christ is all you have.” 

Experiencing God’s rest, His peace that passes all understanding can be elusive. That’s because having Christ as all you have is the most difficult self-surrender we will ever undertake.

My Takeaway: I believe Ms. Ten Boom read Jesus’ words above and believed him. I too want to believe in Jesus’ simple and straightforward promise. Beyond anything the world offers, I want to look at God and be at rest. When I do, I will be resting securely in His grace for today. 

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Good Counsel for Every Day of Our Lives

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

August 22, 2025

Good Counsel for Every Day of Our Lives

“Precious in the sight of the Lord

is the death of his faithful ones.”

Psalm 116:15 (NRSV)

God is not limited to just our mortal lives to fulfill His promises. From God’s eternal perspective, through our mortal death, He gives us rest from our sufferings, rest from our labor and for some, rest from the weariness of long lives. Eternal life is life uninterrupted by death:

“Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.

 O death, where is your victory?

    O death, where is your sting?”

1 Corinthians 15:54-55

Psalm 116 is also a psalm for living. The psalmist had a near death encounter and is giving thanks to God for saving his life. However, all Christians have had a near death encounter. Apart from Jesus we were near death, “For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:56-57).

The Apostle Paul concludes 1 Corinthians 15, his great proclamation of the victory won by Jesus over sin and death, with a call to “be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). The writer of Psalm 116 includes this same theme through four “I will” statements:

“I will lift up the cup of salvation

    and praise the Lord’s name for saving me.

I will keep my promises to the Lord

    in the presence of all his people.

I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving

    and call on the name of the Lord.

I will fulfill my vows to the Lord

    in the presence of all his people—“

Psalm 116:13-14, 17-18 

My Takeaway: I believe these four “I will” statements are good counsel for every day of our lives, and our focus on the “I will” statements will keep us grounded in God’s grace for each day.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Flawless

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

August 21, 2025

Flawless

For by that one offering he forever made perfect those

who are being made holy.

Then he says,

“I will never again remember

    their sins and lawless deeds.”

And when sins have been forgiven,

there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.

Hebrews 10: 14, 17-18

The Apostle Paul, in Colossians 1:22, spoke to the truth in the verses quoted above

“(God) has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.”

The music group, MercyMe, proclaims this truth in their popular worship song, Flawless.

"No matter the bumps, no matter the bruises, no matter the scars, still the truth is the cross has made you flawless. no matter the hurt, or how deep the wound is, no matter the pain, still the truth is, the cross has made you flawless."

I love that song! I believe it beautifully captures the truth of our right-standing relationship with God. Jesus, God’s Messiah came to establish the people of God as the Temple of the Holy Spirit. We often want to pause and ask, how is this working out in our life? Jesus has made it possible for us to serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit. (Romans 7:6)

This new way of living in the Spirit is ours because Christ has made us holy and blameless as we stand before him without a single fault. As we take our pause, let’s think about our life and remember that when we put our faith and trust in Jesus, God looks at us as holy and blameless and without a single fault. Let’s take time to think about our character traits, our habits and the routines of our daily life. How does our life, as we are choosing to live it, reflect the truth of what Christ has accomplished for us by the means of his blood on the cross?

My Takeaway: I invite you to join me and take a leap of faith and invite the Holy Spirit to so transform our life, that the life of Jesus, which is holy and blameless and without fault, may be made visible in our mortal flesh.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.