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Archive for the ‘Grace’ Category

Jesus Died for the Ungodly

Posted in Crucified, Grace, Jesus, Law, Love, Salvation, Sin, The Righteous on November 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. Romans 5:6-9

When man fell into sin we did what our evil hearts desired, we were enemies of God.  The Law showed us just how sinful and wicked we were.  Who would die for a wicked man?  When the wicked are punished and get what they deserve we rejoice.  We cry out for justice and rejoice when justice is served.  Yet Jesus came for the wicked, for us.  Jesus died for us sinners.  When we were still enemies of God, He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins.  God chose to show mercy over judgment.

Jesus was sinless yet took on our sins and died.  God did this to demonstrate His love toward us.  We deserve to be judged for our sin, but God gave us His son.  He chose to show us mercy and grace through Jesus.

If you ever doubt God’s love for you take a look at Jesus and remember what He did for you.  He suffered for you.  He died for you, and He has called you to Himself.  Scarcely, will someone die for a righteous man, but Jesus died for the ungodly – us sinners.  Know that you are loved and God’s gift to you is His Son Jesus Christ.

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Remembering 9/11

Posted in God's Glory, Grace, Love, The Righteous on September 11, 2011| Leave a Comment »

 1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?
2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though a host encamp against me,
My heart will not fear;
Though war arise against me,
In spite of this I shall be confident.  Psalm 27:1-3

Today we remember September 11, 2001 and the terror attacks that happened in the USA, and those who lost their lives.  In New York City the Twin Towers were destroyed by two passenger planes, the Pentagon was hit by a passenger plane and another plane headed for DC crashed in Pennsylvania after the passengers decided to stop the terrorists themselves.  In all about 2,976 people lost their lives that day.  It is a day that will be remembered as the day that started our war on terror against Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda.  They attacked us in the name of their god, but in the end it was our God that saved us and defended us.

As we reflect on the last ten years, I am struck by the protection, mercy and grace that God has continued to show to the USA.  We have not had a major terrorist attack on our land and we should give glory and honor to God.  Darkness cannot prevail where there is light; in the USA our light continues to shine because our light resides in God.

I have no doubt that God’s hand of protection has always been on us.  Even on September 11, 2001, God was with us.  So many people, who could have died, did not.  Today we remembered those that died but there are also thousands of stories of those that survived.

We have proven our resolve to our enemies; we have shown that evil cannot prevail.  If God be for us who can be against us?  If these terror attacks were supposed to demonstrate the god of Al Qaeda; then our resolve and salvation demonstrates the love, mercy and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who will forever reign in heaven and on earth.

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White as Snow

Posted in Crucified, Grace, Jesus, Knowing God, Love, Salvation, Sin, The Righteous on February 1, 2011| Leave a Comment »

“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.”  Isaiah 1:18

Here in New England we have had several snow storms and there is snow everywhere.  Before the snow could melt from one storm another storm came bringing more snow.  There are piles of snow all over the place and many people are tired of all this snow. So today I began to reflect on the meaning of snow and its relevance in the bible.

Snow represents purity.  Snow is very bright and brings a cleansing to the environment.  When snow falls it is so pretty and makes everything it touches look beautiful and new.  A tree without its leaves that is dormant in the winter seems to come alive when there is snow piled on its branches and trunk.  However, once the snow plows and salt trucks come and plow the snow it becomes very dirty and almost looks like dirt on the sides of the road.  It doesn’t take much to ruin the whiteness and brightness of snow.  But in the Kingdom the opposite happens.

When we were sinners our sins were red as crimson.  Red is a very strong color.  It is a primary color.  If you have a red stain on a white shirt it is very hard to remove that red stain.  Even if most of the stain is gone your eye is still drawn to that spot.  But in the Kingdom when a sinner accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior their sins become white as snow.  They become pure just like the snow when it falls from the sky and covers the area.  Think about it – once our sins were so evident and red; however, since the death and resurrection of Jesus they are now like wool, white as snow.

So the next  time you see the snow fall or you are looking out your window at all the snow covering your neighborhood, think of Jesus and what His death on the cross did for us – we all became white as snow.  This is how God sees His children as pure as the new fallen snow.

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24 Hour Access

Posted in government, Grace, Jesus, Knowing God, Love, Salvation, The Father, The Righteous on January 25, 2011| Leave a Comment »

The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne.  He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them. Psalm 11:4 (NIV)

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  Hebrews 4:16

If I wanted to call the President of the United States, I would probably get no further than the operator at the White House.  If I showed up unannounced I would probably get arrested.  The President does not know me and I do not know anyone who has access to the President.  I am of no importance to the President.  The same goes for any celebrity, government official, king, prince, etc.  You have to know someone to reach a person of significance like the President of the United States.  But that is not how it is with God.

I have access to the Father at all times.  He is seated on His heavenly throne observing everyone on earth.  Jesus who is our High Priest died for our sins and we have been given His righteousness.  All those that belong to Jesus have access to the throne of grace.  We have direct access to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  I may not be able to call the President but I can call God at any time.  We are told to boldly approach the throne.

Think about it.  The one who created heaven and earth; who sets the seasons and time; the one that is the Alpha and Omega, is accessible 24 hours a day seven days a week.  No appointment needed, no operator to contact.  Our relationship with the Father has been restored by our relationship with Jesus.

Not only do we have access to the throne but God already knows everything about us.  He knows our history, our worse days and our best.  He even knows the number of hairs on our head.  He knows our rising up and lying down.  He has hemmed us in and out.  He even knitted us together in our mother’s womb.  So when we call on Him, He answers.  He is always there and will never leave nor forsake us.

The President may not know me and I may not be welcomed at the White House; but the Father, He knows me and welcomes me anytime to boldly approach His throne of grace.  What a mighty God we serve.

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God is Looking For You!

Posted in Grace, Jesus, Knowing God, Love, Salvation, The Father on November 9, 2010| Leave a Comment »

20“So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.  Luke 15:20

Often times our view of God is that He is just sitting on His throne watching the world go by, not really involved unless we engage Him.  Jesus showed us the Father when He was here on earth.  Jesus did not show us an aloof God but a Father that loves His children.  In Luke 15 Jesus tells of three parables dealing with the lost sheep, lost coin and the prodigal son.  In all three parables the person is looking for what has been lost and rejoices when they have found the thing they are looking for.

God is like the Father in the parable of the prodigal son.  When the son left with all his money, his father did not disown him but waited for him to return.  He probably looked out the door and window many times hoping his son would return.    When the son began to make his way back, the father saw him off in the distance and began to run toward his son.  God is the same way.  He is always looking for us and seeking after us to return to Him.

Unfortunately, we think God doesn’t care and many times washes his hands of us when we have sinned again and again or when we have wondered far from Him.  God loves us because He created us.  He created us in His image and breathed life into each one of us.  When we became separated from God, He sent Jesus to bridge the gap and to atone for our sins.  Through Jesus we have redemption and our relationship with God the Father has been restored.

See God is looking for you and wanting you to come home.  He doesn’t care where you have been or what you have done, just come home.  Even if you lost your way, He will find you – just call and He will come running.  As you approach God’s throne of grace, He will come embracing and kissing you just like Jesus tells us in the parable.

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Grace

Posted in Grace, Jesus, Love, The Father on October 18, 2010| Leave a Comment »

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'”

For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.  John 1: 14-17

Grace has many definitions.  One way grace is defined is God’s unmerited favor and love of God that is freely given.  We find this in the above scriptures.  Jesus was given as a gift to man from God the Father.  Jesus came full of grace and truth.  God so loved us that He gave us His only begotten Son Jesus Christ; through Jesus we have received God’s unmerited favor and love.

Before Jesus we had the law.  The law was given to us by Moses.  It was impossible to earn God’s favor and love by observing the law.  Jesus fulfilled the law but Jesus did not come to teach us to exist only by the law.  Jesus came to give us grace so that we may experience the love of the Father.  It is also this grace that enables us to live according to God’s word and purpose for our lives.  God never intended for us to live apart from Him and His word; that is why we have Jesus – God’s gift of Grace.

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