HELP!

Tolerance will enable you to remain in the condition you are in so that it may remain in its own state without confrontation. Guilt will always confront you because of the same issues it deals with, not being resolved within. The Religious will always look at you like you are less, struggling with lofty thoughts of itself, knowing they aren’t any better but refuse to admitted it. Grace however will confront you, not to condemn but to lift you up and provide a solution for the issue at hand. The latter however, requires you to recognize your condition, uncomfortably so, yet necessary. Without recognition/repentance of sin we find no need of a savior. Without a need of a savior there is no need of reconciling with God. Without reconciliation to a righteous God there is an eternity of suffering the same Gods wrath, with no hope of an end.

“Wake Up, O Sleeper!”

Give me Grace instead!

The purest of things are always sought after until we become conscious that they actually show how impure we truly are. So we run, afraid, insecure, guilty, ashamed, proud… we prefer excuses instead!

We think we take away from their completeness, as if something whole can be undone by imperfect compilations not from creation but corruption, not due to design but our own depraved hearts, wickedness and sinful desires. Fight me all you want, that’s just your pride fighting maybe you’d like a cage instead?

We don’t want it and that’s why we run from it. We can’t get it that’s why we hate it. Even if we could we would never achieve it cause it’s a gift given by The Father and only by The Son is it attained. all your work which you think is righteousness is simply in vain! It’s so easy, it’s complicated, give me GRACE instead!

In Christ Alone!

Romans 5:17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

In order to redeem the fallen, a second and greater Adam needed to come. One that would, not only out do but redeem that which was broken and lost. Not only cancel out but make all things new. Not only pay the price but extend to us all, the wages of sin be over us no more. Not only die but resurrect. Not only live but offer life and life eternal. Not only ascend to heaven but also return, to take us home and reign with Him. Not only in words but also in deeds has He satisfied the wrath of His Father, so that by Him alone, grace and the wonderful gift of righteousness will reign over All, forever more! So that no man would boast He has done it all, in Christ alone are we set )))))free((((( in Christ alone, in Christ alone!

Got Faith?

Your process may not give visible evidence as to why you do what you do. The outcome may even appear to be the same no matter why you do what you do but the truth is revealed in the presence of GOD! It is inevitable!

For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law–I stopped trying to meet all its requirements–so that I might live for God. Galatians 2:19

So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. Romans 7:4

The Law says you ‘Have To’ while Grace says you ‘Get To’!

It may seem like there is no difference but in reality you salvation may be in play here. If you are depending on the LAW (Have TO/Works righteousness) you are not depending on (Get to/Grace/Christ’s sacrifice). And the word says that HE gave His life for WHOSOEVER Believes in HIM! (John 3:16) Law says depend on your ability to DO! Faith says I can’t, Christ can!

Are you a whosoever? Stop trying to live up to the law and allow the Spirit of God to produce good fruit through your faith! Without Faith it is impossible to please GOD! (Hebrews 11:6) When you have Faith in Christ, he strengthens you so that you can do ALL things! (Phil 4:13) Big or Small, Simple or Difficult, Joy or Pain, Happiness or Sorrow, Leadership or Submission… He gives you the ability not only to work these out BUT to also have complete JOY, when doing so!

Have FAITH in CHRIST, He already WON!

Grace Alone!

Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. John 14:21

It is simple to confuse Works Righteousness with Grace. I mean after all we all want to do good don’t we? Well, maybe not everyone does but most of us do.

So what is the fine line? What determines whether or not we are Works Righteousness driven or Grace driven? The answer my friend is simply complicated! It is LOVE! Love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! That, is what makes the difference.

Yes everyone says they do but the word says that by their fruits we can tell. Matt 7:16 I see it like this, I love God and because I have accepted Christ as my savior through repentance which means His Grace should now be operating in me. But, is it that easy? Yes and No! Yes because we cannot work hard enough to fulfil the law to receive Grace which is why Christ came humbling Himself to save man from Gods wrath. So by faith in Christ we are saved by Grace. But Paul says something very interesting and its this; “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” Phil 2:12 which is easily confused by many Christians to mean work in order to be saved and if that were the case then we disregard the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, His resurrection and that He is now at the right hand of the father.

So what did Paul mean? Thanks for asking! He actually meant what he said, work it out. Run the race and by doing so you do not earn salvation but by it you demonstrate that you are of Christ. That you do so because of the Grace you have received and not because you are trying to obtain it or maintain it. That is the function of Grace!

So you see by even insinuating that our good works have the ability of saving us, may be considered blasphemous and that my beloved is a dangerous position to be in. Kind of like still being dead in our sins. Simply, because it means we esteem our works more than Christ and Complicated because that means we are in serious Idolatry! Of which God Himself said; “I am the Lord your God, You shall have no other gods before me, You shall not make for yourself an idol.” Exodus 20:2-3 If this were to be the case our worship would be an adulterated worship. One which God detests.

So remember Grace says you “get to” out of gratitude because of what you already received, unlike work righteousness which says you “have to” out of pride, in order to receive. Grace, is free of our own works because Christ paid it all!

Making the end result that we in turn are loved by the Father and by Christ and obviously by the Holy Spirit dwelling within. Not only that, we also become partakers of the promise of Him showing Himself to us. All by Grace alone!

It’s a shame thing baby

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Sometimes we become shy in sharing our faith and it is common and expected as our pride is at risk of being poked. In reality that is what it boils down to. Who wants to be rejected? I mean everyone from Adam to The 12, to you and me have dealt with it. Eventually, we get over it! We realize the preciousness of such a gift we have received but it usually comes after a dying to oneself. Once that occurs we want to share the gospel with everyone. We see how it goes from Faith to Faith as it is written; Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Cor 3:17-18

My prayer is that we be willing even if unto death to represent God’s Kingdom as those unashamed! That the POWER of this Gospel would impact so many and that God would be glorified through our courage knowing that Salvation comes from the Lord and not from us or the example of our lives. We cannot take God’s glory! However, our testimony will allow others to use our lives as excuses to keep away from God. So Rep HIM well and let Him do the Saving!

Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign LORD rescues us from death. Psalm 68:19

Shame is not something that should dwell in believers. Throughout the word of God we read how it is used by the Victor against the defeated. Brothers and Sisters we are NOT defeated! Our Victory has already been won! Christ is Risen and is at the right hand of the Father ready to come and pick us up.

The POWER of this blessed Gospel has made us RIGHTEOUS through believing in JESUS CHRIST! WE are being transformed! No longer who we where though not yet who we will be but by FAITH we are able to heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ!

12 So then, brothers, we are debtors,not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry,“Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:12-17

This is GOOD NEWS! This is POWER!

Enjoy Grace

Grace produces in us what the Law required of us.

If you find yourself trying to live up to what God commanded with your own strength, chances are you’ve misplaced the Grace provided by Christ’s sacrifice. There are a bunch of people acting out good deeds in order to show they are “good people”.

The Holy Spirit on the other hand works in us in order that we may show fruit of the transformation He is performing in us. So it is not a living up to or working for but a working out of our salvation! There is nothing we can do to earn salvation as it is graciously given to the “Whosoever’s” which believe in Jesus Christ!

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Phil 2:12-13

Deut 30 Speaks to the new generation which will cross the Jordan to inherit Canaan. In verse 15 God says to them “See, I am setting before you today life and prosperity and death and disaster; what I am commanding you today is to love Yahweh your God by going in his ways and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his regulations, and then you will live, and you will become numerous, and Yahweh your God will bless you in the land where you are going…”

Grace however does not make such demands in order to be saved and enjoy that place which Christ has prepared for us but shows such demands as evidence of a life surrendered. The same is expected, however now as fruits which the Spirit of God produces in a believer. Today our faith in Jesus Christ is what our salvation depends on and not a living up to any laws. I will say it again, they now become indicators if you will and demonstrate the work of the Holy Spirit in us. That we were once dead in our trespasses and offenses but now through Jesus Christ have been made righteous and Justified. No longer expected to live up to the law but to produce good fruits, a working out of our faith. Phil 2:12,13.

There is a great difference in working for and working out! Working for means we need to prove that we are worthy of receiving something while working out means we are showing proof of what we have already received by grace and though both may look alike the proof of which you are acting out is shown in the fruit produced by the action.

Law says you must while Grace says you can! Phil 4:13 I can do all things d through him who strengthens me.

Enjoy Grace!