HAPPY THURSDAY!
Today's scriptures are about being called Sons of God, by His grace, and His grace alone. There's no amount of good work we can do to became "sons (or daughters) of God”, it's a privilege. Because of His grace, He gave His Only begotten Son to die for our sins, and it's His blood that washes us clean, and makes it possible for us to become Sons of God. Before Jesus, we were slaves to the flesh, and we weren't under His law. It's written: But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. (Gal. 4:4-7) When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, and are baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we instantly become heirs; this is the Law of God.
A new life begins when we inherit the Kingdom of God. We become responsible for the "church" as a whole, and not just for ourselves. However, our first responsibility is to grow in the Word, and in our Spirit, so that we could promote growth in others. We must focus on becoming "like Christ", and offering the gift of salvation to the lost. We must offer God's wonderful gifts of healing, wholeness, truth, and deliverance, because these are gifts that could only come through Christ. The world can't give us these things, yet every human being yearns for something more. We all yearn to be completed in some type of way, and those who are lost, will always find temporary fulfillment. The enemy offers many options, and he's working just as hard to win souls. He'll offer us the comfort of a spouse who's all wrong for us, or the ability to escape reality through drunkenness. He allows us to lose ourselves in the physical pleasures of sex with any and everyone that shows us attention. These are the realities of the lost and unsaved, and they face them every day.
I thank God for saving me! I thank Him for delivering me from my enslavement, because I can now see how much of a slave I really was. I share stories of my past, because they are testimonies. I have suffered with Christ, and I'm willing to suffer again, as long as I do my part to strengthen the Kingdom of God. I am filled with so much joy, because of the love and grace of God, that I cannot go one day without telling someone that God is good. He will always get my praises, because I know what He's done for me. He's allowed me to try to accomplish the simplest things on my own, and I tried and failed. He's given me a vision of my blessings, and told me "to receive these things all you have to do is...", and I've completely ignored Him, and did what I wanted to do, so I've experienced His wrath. I've been high and low, close and far, lost and found, so I couldn't I keep these things a secret, because I know I'm not the only one who needs Him. I've gone days without praying, and then experienced the feeling of being lost and alone, and I've spent hours, day in and day out in prayer, and felt fulfilled and immensely loved. I know, without a shadow doubt, that God is real, and He loves me. He loves me, the once old sinful and wicked me. I know for a fact that if He can love me, He can love you. Whoever you were, are, or hope to be! He's waiting to hear from you.
The most wonderful thing about grace is that it doesn't cost us anything. We are rewarded for giving our life to Christ! We're rewarded for loving Him, and having faith. We're rewarded for praying, studying His Word, and loving the people we come in contact with. These things aren't hard to do; all we need to do is give Him some time, spending time on our knees in prayer. Whenever I'm struggling with growth, or moving forward with something I know He's instructed me to do, it always comes back to my prayer life. Communication is the key in any relationship, and we're working to develop a Father/child relationship with God, through Jesus. We're building a bond that cannot be broken by the enemy. Through this, we've taken on the "character of the New Man", as Paul explains to the Colossians: Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. (Col. 3:10-15)
In Christ we are a new creature, but without Him, we are lost, hollow and alone. That's a horrible feeling, and I would never want to experience it again. From my heart to yours, I want you to understand that Christ is the only way to achieve true peace. Happiness is provisional, because as followers of Christ, we expect to suffer as He suffered, but peace withstands the test of time. Did you know that by God's grace you can pray to Him right now, confessing your sins with a full heart, and ask for forgiveness and He'll forgive you on the spot? There's only one catch, you must also confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Have you done that yet? If know that you haven't, or aren't sure, take a few moments to take the God Quiz right now. My favorite verse today is: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. (1 John 3:1)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455491&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio
http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional
I love you!
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