Grace for Rock Concerts

One of the things I did with my three sons was to get away with each of them at key times in their lives. I wanted us to have fun, eat a great meal, talk about sex and discuss where they were in their spiritual lives.

Just before their senior year in high school, I gave each one the opportunity to go away for a weekend to a place of their choice within driving distance. The two oldest each went with me to Universal Studios theme park. But, the third had quite a different request.

He asked me if we could go see Def Leppard in concert. If you don't know who that is, they were a hugely popular rock band in the early 80's and 90's. I jokingly said to him, "I wanted to take you away for the weekend to talk about sex, drugs and rock and roll and you want me to take you to a rock concert?"

We went to the concert that summer and had a blast, tailgating beforehand while talking about sex and other spiritual matters. I wasn't concerned about him being negatively influenced by the concert. Why? He loves Jesus and I knew we could discuss the music on the way home. I also believed that Jesus in me had more influence than the rock band and it turned out to be true.

God's grace can give us the freedom to enjoy even a rock concert with a child!

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder

www.GraceLifeInternational.com
All Content Copyright © 2014 Mark Maulding

Grace for Life's Delays

The longer I am a Christian, the more I realize that God often wants to accomplish His purposes through us when there are delays in life. You see, our problem is not always about us or the problem.

Shortly after someone gave me a car in answer to prayer, I realized it had transmission problems. To get it repaired at the dealer's wholesale price, I would need to drive five hours and be away from my wife and Grace Life International for three days. Though I was happy I would get to be with my parents, I would be missing lots of ministry.

When I picked up the repaired car, I was planning to leave that day but my wife gently suggested I drive it for a while first. Good thing, because the next morning it had problems. The transmission company would fix it again at no charge but it would be Monday before it was ready. Another four day delay.

I knew that God might have something in mind that was not about the car. Sure enough, the man who drove me to my parents' house Monday morning brought up the subject of God, though he had no idea I was a Christian or in ministry. It was a great opportunity to share the Gospel with one who did not know Jesus. I realized my delay was orchestrated so God could reach out to this man whom He loved.

Divine delays can lead to divine appointments!

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, Founder and President


www.GraceLifeInternational.com
All Content Copyright © 2013 Mark Maulding

Grace for Patience

 Have you ever heard someone say, "I am not a very patient person?"  If you are in Christ, you might want to reconsider. 

    I know from personal experience that what I am about to share with you is not only true, it can make a real difference in how you live your life.  Yesterday, I was waiting my turn at the pharmacy when the pharmacists said, "Yours is ready".  I was glad because my 30 minute errand had turned into one hour.  It was late at night and I was tired. 

   To my surprise, the technician helped the person at the car window instead of me.  Feeling impatient, I remembered the Gospel.  Colossians 2:10 says, "...in Him you have been made complete".  Because of this, we are patient people in Christ.  So, I took the thought captive and said to myself, "I am a patient person in Christ" and my irritation began to subside.  

            

   In Christ, we have all the patience we will ever need.   We don't need to pray for patience.  We already have it.  When we rely on The Patient One to live His life through us, we will be at rest in our souls.  This is why Galatians 5:17 tells us that the fruit of the Holy Spirit living through us is, "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, meekness, self-control."

   The next time you're feeling impatient, remember you are already a patient person in your identity in Christ.  Ask the Patient One to live through you!

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder 

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2013 Mark Maulding

Grace for Pastors

     There is an old saying that is half joke and half sarcasm. "Pastors only work one day a week so they shouldn't be tired." I believe that the job of being a pastor is both the most rewarding and most challenging vocation there is.
  

  Think of their stress - leading, preparation for preaching, caring for the hurting, managing staff/volunteers, overcrowded schedules, conflicts, criticism and more. 70% have a lower self-image than when they started. 80% believe ministry has negatively affected their families. 55% say they are discouraged. Many have stress related health problems.

   

   Pastors struggle just like the rest of us. They are not immune just because they are in ministry. Let me put it this way. As a result, their flesh shows itself. Flesh is our sinful patterns of coping with life apart from dependence on Christ, usually, in response to stress. 

   

   The first 7 of the 10 years I was a pastor, I struggled with depression, discouragement, people pleasing, lust, pornography and a difficult marriage. I knew that Jesus was my Savior and my Lord but I did not understand what it meant for Him to be my LIFE. See Colossians 3:4. "When Christ, who is our life..." Once I did, the healing and freedom on the inside changed everything!

   If you care about your pastor, pray for him often and share this with him! Pastors, please contact us. You are not alone. I or one of our staff will talk with you by phone, Skype or in person. There is hope in Christ!

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, Founder & President


www.GraceLifeInternational.com
All Content Copyright © 2013 Mark Maulding

Grace for Struggling Marriages

    I understand what it is like to struggle in marriage. Mine did for the first 6 years primarily because religion prevented me from experiencing God's love.  

    During that sixth year, God revealed to me His unconditional acceptance of me as promised in the Gospel.  Our marriage began to improve dramatically.

   Most marriages struggle because people enter marriage not being full of God's love for them.   Then they believe the person they marry is going to meet their God shaped need for love. It doesn't take long to become disappointed and disillusioned. Some never even get past the honeymoon. For others it's a months later. 

    And as my pastor, Derwin Gray says, after a while, "the wife starts wearing granny nightgowns to bed and the husband farts all of the time".  If there was any flicker of romance before, that puts it out!

   God designed us to drink deeply from His love daily. This is the only way marriage really works. Otherwise, we can suck the life out of our spouse leading to conflict and frustration.

   No wonder Ephesians 5:18 tells us to be filled with the Spirit before the marriage roles are discussed.  Being filled with the Spirit also fills us with God's love for us.

  

I encourage you to join me in praying the prayer found in Ephesians 3:14-21 often whether married or not.  It is a prayer for you to experience Christ in you in a deeper way.

  

   We counsel more struggling marriages than any other issue.  Call us for a free consultation.  

Live Free In Christ, Mark Maulding, President and Founder 
www.GraceLifeInternational.com 

 All Content Copyright © 2014 Mark Maulding (but feel free to share this with anyone!)

Grace for Failures

    Years ago, I failed at starting a church but God used it to bring me to spiritual brokenness. In 1994, I believed He wanted me to start a new ministry known as Grace Life International. I put feet to my faith and moved the family from Georgia to NC.

  Though I knew I was not a failure in Christ, there was a defining moment which would set the course for the ministry. I was talking to Father and said, “You know I failed when I tried to start a church. If you don’t lead this ministry through me, we are going to be in trouble.”

  I come back to this place over and over as God keeps growing us into a powerhouse He works through, to heal the hurting and help the spiritually hungry with His Gospel of grace! It’s not that I haven’t made mistakes through the years for sure. But I don’t believe the ministry would be where it is unless Jesus had kept me and our staff in a place of total dependence. I’m still amazed seeing the thousands He has transformed.

  Each of us was made by God to live every moment dependent on Jesus Christ to live in us and through us. Jesus says in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

  Failure is an opportunity to depend on Christ to live through us each moment. Contact us if you need help. 

Live Free In Christ, 

Mark Maulding, Founder & President 

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2014 Mark Maulding

Grace for the Broken

Someone recently gave me a 10 year old car as an answer to prayer!   Yet soon, it became apparent the car had transmission problems.  The people who gave it were not aware the car was internally broken, since it looked fine on the outside.

Many of us are broken, too.  We may put on a happy face and look good on the outside, but internally (emotionally) we are broken.  Some of the signs of internal brokenness are consistent depression, anxiety, anger, insecurity, pride, saying all of the right things, difficult relationships and feelings of rejection. (This is not the same as spiritual brokenness.)

Our brokenness is the result of the sins of others.  Such as not telling us they love us, or saying we will never amount to anything, or sexually abusing us.  I experienced some of that growing up.  Our brokenness is also the result of our own sins which hurt us and others.  The good news is that we are not defined by our internal brokenness but by our identity in Christ!

Understanding the complete Gospel has healed me of a lot of this kind of brokenness.  Isaiah 61:1 says the Gospel includes healing broken hearts.  How?  Jesus lives in us to love us.  We are in Him giving us confidence that we are forgiven, loved, accepted, righteous and holy. 

Are you ready to stop living as a victim and start living as a victor in Christ?  Contact us if you need help.

Live Free In Christ,
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2014 Mark Maulding