by David Brenneman
"Every adult has experienced it-being a dispenser or recipient of grace. Your child acts up and deserves to be punished, but you break his or her rebellious spirit with a loving hug. Or you treat your spouse badly but receive a smile and an "love you" in return. Or you feel your actions displeased God, and then read in your Bible that His mercies are new every morning.
When God extends His grace to us-sinners and enemies it ought to melt Our heart. It's hard to be angry with someone who has every reason to turn away from us but who comes toward us with open arms instead. The Prodigal Son's heart melted when he experienced the loving arms of his father rapped tightly around him in a welcoming embrace (Luke 15:20-21). Grace is receiving a present we know we don't deserve, we never thought we would receive, and we never saw coming, Grace is a gift, pure and simple. The love of God is shown in His grace to people who deserve nothing." Dr. David Jeremiah "Walking with God" 365 Devotionals Copyright 2019.
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child, and forever, I am.
Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
His child, and forever, I am.
I think of my blessed Redeemer,
I think of Him all the day long;
I sing, for I cannot be silent;
His love is the theme of my song.
Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
His child, and forever, I am.
I know I shall see in His beauty
The King in whose law I delight,
Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps,
And giveth me songs in the night.
Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
His child, and forever, I am.
Redeemed by Fanny Crosby 1882
That devotional really was uplifting to me last night. I highly recommend it if you can get your hands on a copy.
Good enough doesn't cut it.
There you have a simplified statement from the Bible concerning why people need saving, why they need a Savior who is Christ the Lord.
Our society is replete with people thinking their opinions on right and wrong are as valid as God's Word when it speaks to right and wrong.
What did the Lord say in Isaiah?
"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!" Isaiah 5:20, 23
Our thoughts and considerations, our conclusions and insights, mean absolutely nothing in light of what God has said in His Word.
Grace is God’s unmeritted favor towards humanity. Some use an acronym of "God's Riches At Christ's Expense".
You and I need a Savior who is fully God and fully man. Only one ever has or ever will fit that description. Jesus Christ alone.
There's nothing in life that we experience that He can't relate to. The Bible further says that He sympathizes with our weaknesses.
But does not excuse them. We need the forgiveness of sins that only comes in a real right now relationship with Jesus.
I know my sins, while many and diverse, have been forever forgiven by my Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
Are yours? If you haven't come to Christ for salvation...if He isn't your own personal Savior and Lord...all the legal weight of your sins in the court of God's Law are squarely on your own shoulders.
You might try to point Jesus to all the "good" you have done. Worthless without His free gift of salvation.
You might try to defend yourself by saying your good must amount to something! Worthless without His free gift of salvation.
You might try to say you don't believe in His authority. Still worthless without His free gift of salvation.
Any defense offered outside of an in faith decision to ask Jesus to be the forgiver of your sins and the leader of your life...is worthless.
God's grace is honestly why so many billions of people aren't dead right now. His mercy as well. Not giving all who have turned from Him what they do deserve.
Jesus is my Redeemer. In this I cannot be silent. His child forever I am.
He jumped in front of me on that cross to take what was coming from God towards me. He took the bullet. He took the hit. He took the death sentence that was mine to receive because I am a sinner in need of a Savior.
Now...I know my redeemer lives. Because He lives, I can live for Jesus. I owe Him my life.
Have you really thought about all this? Can you point to a day when you asked Jesus to save you?
Your thoughts on your goodness aren't enough.
Yes you probably did go to great lengths to care for loved ones, possibly your children. You probably did care for animals. You probably were very much in peaceful relationships with others.
By everything you know and understand...you cannot think of why you would deserve to go to Hell.
The deciding factor is whether you have Jesus as your Savior and Lord.
Not on your efforts or the good you think you have done.
The bar is perfection. Nothing less will do.
Please think about that.
"But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:8-13.
Someone loved me enough to share with me long ago that Jesus loved me enough die for me.
Right now you I would hope you understand that I love you enough to tell you the same.
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
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