We’ve listened to Derrick Prince a whole bunch, telling us over and again that our lives are not about performance. Womack preaches a lot on this too. And it’s gratifying to hear that we don’t have to appease God for all the sinning we have done – and to some extent still do.
Sin doesn’t land one in Hell. Heaven is a gift. Grace is “undeserved, unearned favor. God just gives grace to the takers: “As many as received (Jesus), to them (the Father) gave the power to become children of God.” It is pure grace that saves us through faith. It’s a gift, nothing we can earn. Done so that none of us can boast.
We keep acting as though, some of us, that to not sin is a goal – and surely it is. Our resolutions have to do with that. We don’t hear very often that we have succeeded in this. Oh, some people say they’ve lived a good life; really? Good enough? Get out’a here! think about it!
The Savior’s task was to be that He would save His people from their sins. Either this the Savior does or we are all in deep do-do. Yes, God in His mercy forgive the repentant one and “His mercy is everlasting.” The Savior saves.
At the last of His book God tells us that even as the universe is collapsing around them, there are those who will still not repent. We should be sorry, at least, if we’ve cheated on our spouse; if we’ve fanaticized, or maybe attended to pornography about it. What she doesn’t know will hurt her. It already has. What happens in Las Vegas – or a million Las Vegas look-alikes – stays in Las Vegas. Really? Do patrons there never go back home?
Maybe you’re acting like married people but you are not. This is happening everywhere these days. It is sin. A whole lot of people have been thus hurt – even society.
Character has it that who sows wild oats ought to be the ones who pay the consequences. That is the ancient law of karma. What goes around comes around. Often however, but not often enough, a loving family steps in such that the careless sin of their sibling turns tragedy into blessing. This is the gospel message: He turned my sorrow into a song. God bless the parents who come to the aid rather than come and condemn.
Why did the good and only God create a world where sin could so easily happen? Knowing that sin would raise Hell on earth, why did God go through with creation?
He knew too that sin can crush our pride and cause us to come to Him for help.
The parable Jesus taught about the prodigal son coming to himself, realizing that life sucks when you live like he did. So he returned to his father who in this case was God the Father. And the Father, “Seeing him afar off,” rushed to greet his once lost but now found son. His sin coupled to the consequence of sin actually served the Father’s love-plan. Yes, His grace is greater than all my sin: the Father planned before He created, that He would become my Savior so that I could become His – born from above – son.
If sin, and the consequences of it can not turn me to God, I’m willingly deceived into thinking that I can get by with it: it’s not so.
“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound (of that word) that saved a wretch like me. Once lost; but now found, blind, but now I see. This is the gospel’s hope that we are to publish where ever we go. Not shame. Not blame. These are tools of Satin. (I hate to capitalize his name.)
We preach hope to the broken hearted, and, when we do the Lord accompanies our visit. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. We share the gospel Some will open their hearts to God. Some will not, and close their hearts to Him. We’re God’s vessels through whom He flows as a river. HE is the River.
No one who has been courageous enough to offer the consolation of God needs to be told; there are those who just aren’t interested. If the door to a heart is open, we encourage them to receive the Savior. Again, as it was with Jesus himself and all of the prophets: some will, and some are not willing.
The point is this. We make much ado about nothing if we think that we can be righteous by trying harder and harder to combat temptation. He must fit us for that, and do it. Unless we can honestly sing, “Look what the Lord has done,” we will continue to plead for and not see revival. What the Lord is doing is revival.
God is altogether Savior and we must not infringe on the glory of His personal salvation of our lives. The love of God is as the love of a parent who takes upon Himself what is sufficient to land us in heaven. There He invites us to come. He will cloth us in His own spotless garment. “He will never leave us or forsake us.”
The point is that the Biblical message is to us that we major in lifting Him up, that we do not play the role of hypocrite – “all have sinned, ”
Sickening sometimes are the repetitious chants we sing. Lift up Jesus to someone you know who right now needs the Comforter. Believe that the Comforter will come if you will lift Him up. Dare you lift him up – for the kingdom’s sake.
Have we wondered that without faith we cannot please God” That’s right. We can be generous – and we ought: is it faith which motivates giving? Not always. It is, maybe, love, maybe faith – probably pleasing to God. But not nearly as pleasing as when we introduce a hurting person to our caring God. The measure of faith required for witnessing is a little-taught message; but is the Gospel of which we are the messengers of God.
Alas. The Lord has promised that the field is ripe for harvester.
“I am my brother’s keeper.” And I owe it to Love to get out of myself, to lift Him up so that all men can find Him: He will draw them if I will to be used of Him.
Buddy