GOD'S GRACE leaves us at a loss for words (Which Indeed it should). Some believe GRACE offers a minimal standard which gives Salvation but allows them to continue their own agendas in this world. Yes, "A ticket to Heaven"; "Unmerited Favor"; "Endless Love". And the Cross? JESUS died for our sins, was there anything else? What do you think the Scriptures are talking about when they say; "...on earth peace to men on whom HIS favor rests..." (Luke 2:14), or "...righteousness that comes from GOD and is by Faith." (Philippians 3:9)? GOD did not extend HIS Grace to merely forgive our sins. Grace has given us the access into HIS presence EVERY DAY! Salvation is not giving up some "forbidden pleasure" that GOD denied me, so I could prove my sincerity! The power of the Cross gives us an eternal friendship with GOD. GRACE lets Love overwhelm us and once we taste it, we will never be satisfied with anything else. Grace is the empowering Presence of God enabling you to be who He created you to be, and to do what He has called you to do. Sin is no longer a temptation or a forbidden fruit that we desire because we won't settle for anything less than a life of GRACE our RELATIONSHIP with GOD! Is that, WHAT HAPPENED ON THE CROSS ANYWAY?
0 Comments
There are just no words to describe GOD! We read the Scriptures to see what we need to do to please GOD and be in HIS favor. But the same scriptures tell us there is not enough goodness in any of us to earn this Favor. We don't understand why GOD just doesn't make HIMSELF as real to us as the Bible says HE can! The harder we try, the farther we get away from GOD; and the things we do in GOD'S name, really in fact, hurt GOD'S people. Even Saul (later Paul) was GIVEN FAVOR in-spite of persecuting GOD'S people. Perhaps, actually being brought to GOD'S FAVOR, sitting on HIS lap in HIS indescribable PRESENCE, comes when our "...sacrifices of GOD are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart..." (Psalm 51:17). The most distant we are from GOD is when we are feeling a "little" or "a lot" righteous for something we have done. We have to give up what we cherish most to be in HIS presence, GIVE UP OURSELVES! When there is nothing left of us, is when there is ALL of HIM in us! Yes, there are no words to describe GOD; GOD IS GOD!
Mark Twain once said that he had a grander standard of principle than George Washington. "George cannot tell a lie; I can, but I won't". In order to lie to someone else requires that we must first lie to ourselves. When we justify lying and deceiving, as "not hurting anyone" or as the "only way to get what we want", we begin to believe our own lies and cannot distinguish the Truth within us or around us. We no longer know how to love GOD or ourselves, and as a result have no love in us. How many times when we were going to face difficult situations, do we think ahead about what we are going to say? Maybe even "make up 'little' lies" to get by? Proverbs 12:22, "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight". Don't deceive ourselves about what is a lie, or it will destroy us, NO MATTER HOW SMALL.
Basking is to "expose oneself to pleasant warmth"; to take great pleasure in its presence. It is GOD'S love that warms us in the sun. It is GOD"S love that feeds us when we hunger and when we fast. HE breathes life when we are desolate and at our lowest lows. Hebrews 4:10, "for whoever has entered GOD'S rest..." How can we help but be "overawed" by BASKING IN HIS LOVE?
The interaction of two or more forces, whose combined result is greater than the sum of their parts. Have we learned to quit trying to "EARN" GOD'S Favor and to "LIVE" in that Favor? It is not the amount of "serving", or "good deeds", or "our gifts" that take us to the depth of our relationship and fellowship with HIM that transforms our lives with HIS Holiness. It is the CERTAINTY of knowing HIS LOVE for us! Zephaniah 3:17, "...GOD is with you...HE delights in you...HE quiets you with HIS love...HE rejoices over you..." Now what comes next is not taught or learned, IT JUST IS; HE DELIGHTS IN YOU AND REJOICES OVER YOU just because you are HIS! HERE IT IS; ARE YOU READY? We will Love HIM and others with the Love HE has for us! We become more than the sum of our parts. NOW THAT IS SYNERGY!
WHISTLING AND HUMMING ARE BECOMING A LOST GIFT. Are we forgetting and losing how to whistle and hum? We let poets and song writers express our feelings and emotions for us. We depend on others to tell us what we should and should not think. We do not "Sing a New Song" either because we do not know what GOD has done for us; or we just don't care! "Sing to the LORD a new song..." (Psalm 96:1) Today, maybe we can read a Scripture in the Bible and not depend on someone other than the HOLY SPIRIT to reveal its meaning: and maybe we can create our own song by WHISTLING, HUMMING AND SINGING
We get different meanings from the Bible because it is a matter of "interpretation". We interpret differently based upon our experience, environment and prejudices. Interpretation is our "perception" of Truth; and everyone "perceives" differently. Therefore, the Bible has many different meanings to many different people. "All scripture is given by inspiration of GOD..." (2 Timothy 3:16); What makes us "think" we can understand the TRUTH of GOD'S WORD without the same Divine Inspiration? Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, (Ephesians 3:3-5). Lean not on our own understanding! When we lean on our own understanding and the "interpretations" of our teachers we will believe a lie, and we remain confused and doubtful of our own Salvation. Scripture defines Scripture, Truth defines Truth! Just because you have a phenomenal understanding and revelation that does not agree with others; does not mean you are wrong. Test your revelation with other Scripture and if it does not contradict, TRUTH defines TRUTH! Remember, "All scripture is given by inspiration of GOD" and THE HOLY SPIRIT will be your foundation in the knowledge of CHRIST. Divine Inspiration of GOD gave the Scriptures; Divine Inspiration with reveal HIS TRUTH. Ask the HOLY SPIRIT to read with you, inspire you, and reveal the TRUTH! NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED!
Matthew 13:44, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When...found...in his joy went and sold all he had and bought the field." Is the Gospel like a treasure we don't see and keep walking past? Eternal life begins now, not after some "switch" which is flipped and we wake up in Eternity. We read a "fiction" novel better than we read the Bible; we become the character, think like the character thinks and adapt some of the character's charateristics. Would we really "give up everything" to understand the Truth of the Gospel? Do we read about JESUS, and "try to believe"? Or, do we want to be with HIM, know about HIM, tell others about HIM just because HE is INCREDIBLY AWSOME?
SAVE ME! How many times have we cried out those words? If we died today do we really know we are going to Heaven and have Eternal life with JESUS? If we died today, we are still sinning and not ready for Heaven yet; am I going to go to another place to "get ready for Heaven", then go to Heaven? GOD wants us to know where we are going! 1 John 5:12, "...believe on the name of the SON of GOD, that ye know that ye have eternal life..." We are NEVER going to be "good enough" on our own to go to Heaven! When we cry, "SAVE ME" don't we just admit that we NEED A SAVIOR? We can't do it, but we have a SAVIOR who can! Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of GOD." This simply means we are not perfect, "are we willing to admit that? Why do we think JESUS came to be man, to suffer insults, torture and Crucifixion; just to give us a good "childhood story", or was it really for something more? Was it really to "SAVE-ME"? Romans 10:13, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved..." Now is the time for the "famous sinner's Prayer" right? No, GOD wants your heart and your words! After all it's just you and HIM that's going to do this! We know we are not worthy to go to Heaven because we are sinners; after reading, praying and pleading we know that JESUS is the SON of GOD, and that HE is GOD; and that HE came to die for our sins; and HE was resurrected (which makes every word in the Bible true). JESUS, I accept YOUR gift of Eternal life, I trust in YOUR promises, I need YOU as my SAVIOR; SAVE-ME!
Psalm 139: 23-24 Isaiah 43:1 GOD IS GOD! When you take a trip, is it point "A" to point "B"? Walk around point "B" awhile, and then you're off, point "B" back to point "A". Is that the way we do everything else in life; working for RESULTS and not enjoying the JOURNEY? Do we really think that life is about a series of "end results"? If so, we are disappointed because those "end results" are never complete within themselves! It's the JOURNEY, THE PROCESS that makes GOD smile; because HE knows HE is the Perfecter of Faith, and HE knows our end result will be who HE created us to be! Hebrews 12:2, "Looking to JESUS, the founder and perfecter of our Faith, WHO for the joy that was set before HIM endured the cross...". We can't fully enjoy the END RESULT, UNLESS WE ENJOY THE JOURNEY. WE MAY BE ASTOUNDED AT THE RESULTS!
|
About the Author and writerThe writer for our daily devotionals wishes to remain anonymous in regard to his work, giving instead Glory to the Author. Archives
December 2015
Categories |