Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any tw0-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

You mean to tell me that the word of God, the word I read and meditate on is alive and able to change me? Yes, it is! This word is not just a collection of stories that make us either feel worse or better about ourselves, but it is the word that God through the Holy Spirit penned by men that he chose to reveal these things and now we have the written word of God. This word is like a surgeons knife, it cuts through the outer layer and goes straight to the heart of the matter. It is able to peel us back and show us who we are, who we are not and who we are meant to be.

This word that is alive looks deep into us and discerns the good and evil that lies just beneath the surface. It goes past the smile on our face and the bounce in our step and looks deep into us, at those things we do not want to be seen by human eyes.

When we read this word it penetrates our hearts and souls and it forces us to decide what we will believe. It forces us to look hard at who we are. It reveals the sin sickness that each of us is born with. And once we have read it, we can yield to it and its power and we can be transformed from a sin-sick state to a born again, bound for heaven state.

There is nothing we can do, ask, think or feel that an answer cannot be found in this word given to us. We need only to read through the pages at the ones who have been gone for a few thousand years and see that the same sins they struggled with we struggle with today.

Have you ever been reading in your Bible and feel like maybe the story was written about you? I have, I see myself a lot in the pages. God could have put only fun, easy to read, great moral people in it, but instead, he put the liars, the losers, the sick, the prideful, the adulterous, the murderers. The pages are filled with people just like us with the same decisions we have to make.

God’s word shows us that by his Spirit we can live lives worthy of Christ’s calling. It shows us that we are not too far gone to be helped. Every word in the Bible has been God-breathed. Wow! The same God who formed the universe, who breathed life into man, lets us see him throughout the pages and allows the living word to move us, mold us change us.

It is important to read it, think about it, pray over it…OBEY IT!

Maybe you have tried on your own, or with a pill or through counseling to change who you are and it just does not stick. You can do it for a little while, but the old you takes over and you find yourself in the same place or worse.
Don’t get me wrong sometimes we need a pill or someone to talk to, but most often we need more Jesus than anything and we need his word to speak to us and guide us. If we seek one without the other it usually does not go well. God’s word helps us to realize when we are walking in our own flesh and then tells us how to stop doing it.

This is a living and powerful word we have at our disposal. Utilize it, study it, meditate on it. Let this word do what it has done for millions of others for thousands of years…let it change you, let it save you, let it live inside of you.
Learn to desire it more than you do some sports magazine or healthy living something or other…God’s word can and will change you. You will not be the same, you will not think the same…you can be transformed.

Psalm 119:160 “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.”
John 17:17 “Sanctify them by the truth, your Word is truth.”

God’s word sanctifies us, makes us holy. As we read and let the words of God sink into our very marrow, we are made new. I don’t know about you, but I still need some work done on me, I still need guidance to walk in a way that is pleasing to God. I still need to see his truth to remind me of who God is and who I need to be.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

That pretty much says it all…read, get equipped, lean into the word and the word will lean into you!

This phrase is tucked into these scriptures. Ephesian’s 3-10

God because of the pleasure of his will, decided that he wanted to save me and you. Before we were even a thought in our parent’s hearts and minds, God decided I would be saved. I did not do anything, there was no moral compass set in me as to the direction I would take. As a matter of fact, I was already going to be a sinner at birth. My status was just that, a sinner. I could not speak yet or do anything on my own, I need constant care from my parents.

He longed to save us and had already decided on the how long before he breathed life into Adam. His will, a mystery as to why he would do such a thing. Even Adam’s sin was designed by God. Without the presence of sin, we would have no idea how great grace really is. He decided before the earth was formed to create a people, made in his image that would rebel against him. He knew that when the heavens were formed Jesus his only son would be the ultimate sacrifice. Blood had to be shed, and Jesus spotless blood was it. There would be no other way. No other god to run to. He is the only true and living God.

Until God called my name at the time he decided, and my spiritual ears and eyes opened to the truth of his word, I was lost in my trespasses and sin. No hope, bound for hell. But God stepped in, called my name and I repented and was born-again. He made known to me the mystery of his good pleasure which he purposed in Christ. Anyone who has been born again is a child of God, just like that, it is a done deal. All without our help. I don’t know about you, but this is mighty good news. So much so that we should share it with others.

We cannot earn our salvation, we cannot do anything to deserve salvation, we cannot buy salvation, it is a free gift given to us because it pleased him to do it. God is delighted when one of his children turn from sin and run to him. I think all of heaven must rejoice when this happens. I am sure the angels must marvel at it all. Why would a Holy, Righteous God, desire to save a wretch like me? Knowing me, I am pretty sure I would not have stepped in and saved me. But God did, and he did it because it pleased him to do so. He chose His son to die because it pleased him to do so.

We see other references to the words: “it was the Lord’s will,” or “God was pleased,” or “by your will.” God is sovereign over everything and everyone. Nothing is outside of his reach his desires. So many times we want to insert ourselves in the doing, but if it were not for God it would not happen. If you decided today you wanted Jesus, then it is because he had already begun the process of calling you. You can take no credit.

All I can say is this, I do not know why he called me, but I am so thankful for this free gift of salvation that I could not gain on my own and the keeping power of Jesus Christ. I am awed and amazed and humbled that he chose me. I pray my life is a testimony of the saving power of Jesus blood. I pray I walk worthy of the calling he has given me, no matter how small or grand. I pray that my words, my actions, and my thoughts please him. I want to be a living sacrifice in all I do.

References:
Isaiah 53:10
Colossians 1:19
Revelation 4:11

Psalm 139:5-6 “You hem me in–behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”

We are hemmed in by God. Nothing we think or see or do is not known by Him. This both excites me and makes me a little unsettled and afraid. When I think I am alone, He is there. When I sit by myself and I am simply thinking, He hears and knows my thoughts. When I am in conversation with another, He already knows the words I will say, either good or bad. If I turn to the right or left, I run into God. I am His child and He is always in front of me, behind me and beside me. I cannot escape His gaze. Everything I do, every place I go I take God with me.

I am thrilled to know that my God, the lover of my soul, Savior and King never leaves me. He is always watching out for me. In good times or bad, he is my constant companion, giving advice through the Holy Spirit, comforting me in pain, walking with me through life’s ups and downs. I do not have to worry that He won’t be there when I call to Him. Yet, it is a little disconcerting to know that He is “ALWAYS” with me. There is nothing I do, nothing I say or think that he is not privy to. I am laid bare in front of him. Even those secret thoughts that race through my head is seen and known by God. He is everywhere at all times. I cannot escape him if I turn to the right or left he is there if I go forward He is there if I turn around “HE IS THERE!” Does this give you cause for pause, it does me.

Verse 7 of this same passage says this: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? Have you ever wanted to flee from The all-seeing, all-knowing God? I have! Especially when I knew that I was not living right. I wished just throwing covers over my head would do it, but no such luck! It made me squirm to know that He was with me, seeing and hearing every detail. Yet, loving me anyway. Wow! This omnipresent (everywhere at all times) God, who is omniscient (knows everything) loves me in spite of me.

Verse 8 of this passage says this: “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” There is no hiding from God. This should be a sobering thought for you if you are his and you are actively pursuing sin. You know you shouldn’t, but you are hoping he will have his head turned, not gonna happen!

So, you can see why I find this both wonderful and frightening at the same time. When I am living my best life in Him, doing and saying those things that please him I feel good knowing He sees me; just like a child who wants their parents attention when they are behaving well or performing some great thing, I want my heavenly Father’s eyes watching me, being proud of who I am in that moment, but when I know I am not living my best life, sin has crept in even in some small way, I am hoping against hope that He is occupied with another child and not paying attention to me until I get myself back on track.

I may feel alone at times, but I am not. I can even feel my prayers are not going any further than my rooftop, but none of these feelings make it fact.
The fact is God loves us at all times. God is with us even when we feel alone. God hears us when we pray. God answers our prayers. God will never forsake us. God knows what we need, even when we do not. God watches even in our rest. God walks with us through hard times. God never turns his back on us. God will always call us back from sin. God never leaves us as we are. God does allow good and bad, highs and lows in life and so on…

How awesome it is to know that the same God who spoke this world into existence, is the same God who called me to salvation, walks with me each day, keeps me, and will eventually take me to heaven. Not one moment will he let me flounder alone on this earth. I can take that to the bank! When I am wrong he disciplines me when I am right, I believe he smiles at me and says “Well done.”

If for some reason you are feeling really alone right now, I can assure you either you have moved in the wrong direction or the enemy has got your ear and told you that God does not care, does not love you and He has abandoned you…Just remember if the devil’s lips are moving, HE IS A LIAR!

Thank Him for His all-consuming, all seeing, all knowing always present love!

Proverbs 25:11 “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

Can I just tell you that this is one of the first verses I ever memorized? I did not memorize it by going to my bible and reading, no this came via my grandmother or mamaw as we called her. Any time I would start running my mouth about anything and complaining, usually, loudly she would quote this verse to me. I cannot tell you how many time I had it said to me as a child and teenager. It got to the point that I would mouth the words as she quoted them. I had no idea until I was an adult that I discovered where in the Bible these words were, but I knew one day I would find them and I did.

She so desperately wanted me to tame my tongue, to learn to control the garbage of stuff that flowed out of it when life was being unkind to me. The hateful hurtful things that my mouth would spew. But I have to admit I was fascinated by the picture this verse put in my mind. I would ponder it after I calmed down, wondering if I could get my words right, in line with the Lord?

In my very imaginative state, I would see all these words made out of silver l shiny and beautiful sitting on a golden platter. They were pretty words, kind words and I would marvel at how they looked. They were words that my mamaw would use to talk about God, life, others. She always had a kind word to say to everyone and about everyone. He words were never spoken harshly or out of place, and they were always tempered with grace.

I used my words as weapons on too many occasions back in the day. They came from the pain inside of me. From my heart. I wanted others to feel as worthless as I felt.

So, what is a word spoken aptly? What does aptly mean? Well, it is a word used in an appropriate, suitable way. Such as the Grand Canyon, Grand is a great way to describe what you see when standing and looking at this vast open space that looks as though God ran his finger through the dirt. It is truly an amazing place to see if you have not been.

My words were not spoken appropriately, they were not proper or suitable. They were just a barrage of emotions voiced out loud meant to hurt. What my mamaw so desperately wanted me to learn is that our words wound. They can be said so recklessly and cause such pain and destruction. And once they are out we cannot take them back. Oh, we can say we are sorry and even gain forgiveness, but they can never be forgotten or unspoken. We sometimes live with not only the regret of our words but the consequences as well.

I often listened to my mamaw speak at conferences and in her Sunday school. The tenderness with which she spoke was like a healing balm on my heart and soul. More than anything I wanted the picture image of the apples to be my actuality. I wanted my words to be healing words, kind words. Words filled with love and laughter; words to build up and not tear down. Over time, God changed my words. I asked for his help in taming my tongue. I wanted him to help me learn when to speak and when to be silent. Not to let my mouth run like a motor spewing out unkindness or gossip. It was not cussing words I spoke, no it was just hateful sometimes hate-filled words.

Jesus has done a mighty work in my heart over the years and a mightier work with my tongue. He has taught me to sometimes be silent and other times to speak. I have asked for wisdom from him to come instead of my words. Sometimes I slip out with a sour comment, but for the most part, my words look more like the platter of silver and gold I imagined all those years ago. I never want to be sorry for something I said. I do not want my word to be used as a sword against anyone.

Maybe you find that your words are too many, unkind, unloving, judgemental or something else. It is His desire that we are well spoken, representing Him at all times. Just ask and he can do for you what he has done for me and then you to can speak a word aptly.

Blessings!

Luke 17:33 “Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.”

When my son was a teenager he would sometimes (as a joke) look at me and put the sign of an “L” over his forehead and say, “Loser.” Especially if I was trying to inflict some of my old-fashioned mom stuff on him. He is a grown man now with children of his own, but sometimes I want so badly for him to look at me and make the “L” and say those words. I know crazy right?
It is the little things that they do that when they grow up it becomes so dear to you, even their funny ways of asking you to “not” instruct them about “what you used to do as a child :)”

Anyway, I was reading the other day and came across this passage in another devotion I was reading and it asked the question “Aren’t we all losers if we follow Christ, or shouldn’t we be?” You’re probably going, What?
We as followers of Christ should not be the ones climbing the ladder of life by running over the person ahead of us. We should not be so worldly-minded that we have no time to be kind, thoughtful, helpful, inconvenienced etc. When we follow Christ we are to lay down our lives, surrender our wants for those that glorify God. We surrender our pride, our fleshy wants, the carefully thought out plans​.

We are to spend the precious hours we have on this earth serving the way Jesus did, not racing to get the next best thing out there. Loving and serving like Christ did is sometimes hard. Sometimes he calls you to a path that is not laden with all the good stuff this life has to offer, it is hard and maybe even lonely. Other’s look at you and think wow, what a (loser. )They are living in that old house, driving that old car, wearing those old clothes. Why don’t they get a real job and make something of themselves? Look at me, I’ve got the tiger by the tail and I am on my way!

To lose oneself for Christ’s sake is what we are told to do in this verse. We are to live not as this world tells us we should, but a life surrendered to Christ, even if it means you never get recognized for anything you do. Even if it is inconvenient and hard. We are told that if we lose our lives here, we gain our lives in heaven. This is the place we will spend eternity and anything we give up or do for Christ is like depositing treasure into a treasure chest and it will be kept for us. God takes notice of you, he sees those things you do even in secret in his name.

When you spend all your days gaining this world and you cannot be bothered long enough to be inconvenienced or to help another then you are missing out. And maybe, you should check your heart and makes sure you really do know this Jesus as Lord and Savior. If heaven and what pleases Christ never enters your mind, you should be worried. God does not call us to be rich, to be selfish, to live as though we have to get it all in before we die. He calls us to love, be forgiving, to serve, to help, to point others to him.

Love is an action word. It requires something of us. If we love like Jesus did, then none of those things will bother us. We will live surrendered, doing those things, even the not so fun ones for him with a joy that others notice. We will be the low man on the totem pole and it won’t bother us.

I am a loser as far as the world is concerned. I do not have a fancy house, I do not have a new car, I do not wear designer clothes, I do not have any degrees, I have never been to college, the list could go on and on. Instead, I want my life to be like a drink offering to Christ, poured out for him, for his pleasure. I want to be his hands and feet to those in need. Going and doing those things that he calls me to. I want the bobbles of this world to fade into the distance. Nothing here will go with us there, it will all be left behind. Losing your life for Christ really is gaining it. I don’t want to have so much here, that leaving it behind brings me to tears or causes me to worry over it. We need to travel light through this land that is not our own.

The people in Noah’s time went about buying, selling, going, doing all for themselves with no thought toward God, and when the flood came they were not prepared and died. Will you be caught unaware? Going about this life thinking you are okay with the Lord? Never giving heaven a thought, never sacrificing self and self-wants for greater things? Will you lose your life to gain life? Or will you keep going at break-neck speed grabbing all you can and hoping to gain your treasure in heaven as well?

I am not saying there are not solid, sold-out to Jesus rich people on this earth. I know some. I am saying what do you do with it? What master do you serve? You cannot serve both! Are you a (loser) for Christ’s sake? Do his wants trump your wants? Do you seek him with your whole heart? Are you laying up treasure in heaven where moth and rust cannot get it or are you laying all your treasure up here on this earth?

Unlike what the televangelist who tell us, we are not all called to have it all here. Be happy and wealthy now. We do not need a seed offering given in hopes of gaining riches. Why do they always talk about earthly wealth? Think about it, all of them are filthy rich, living their best life now. I will leave you to ponder just that.

Yes, I am a (loser) for Christ and I would not change a thing, other than trying to surrender even more of me. Sometimes there is still too much of me left.

Blessings!

I know what you’re thinking that I have lost it, I am confusing humans with animals : ) Nope, it is a serious question with serious reprocusians. We read these words in Matthew 25:33 “He (Jesus) will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.” Sheep, meaning those who belong to him, his born-again, blood-bought children. The goats are those who said no to Jesus, who are not born-again children of God. So, I ask again are you a sheep or a goat?

The sheep on the right will be told to “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” Matthew 25:34 Oh yes, my friend and fellow believers we have an amazing inheritance awaiting us! Jesus has been preparing for our “homecoming” since the before the beginning of time.
Wow! What a promise, how exciting is this, we are going to live”forever” with Jesus, in a place that he has prepared for us. We did not do anything to deserve it, sinners, at birth. We did not even save ourselves, he did it and he is the one who keeps us!

Ephesians 1:4 “just as He “chose” us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a “chosen” race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. A people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Such wonderful words of encouragement and security knowing that God has us and he will take us all the way to where He is and give us all that He has been preparing for us. It is a wonderful promise! But, what about the goats? What happens to them? Well, He says in Matthew 25:41 “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. What? You mean no more chances, it is done for all eternity?
Can your mind even conceive such as this, eternal fire? Hell, with all its ugly frightening God only knows what evil for all eternity? “Never” another chance, “never” getting out, torment after torment! Unlike Heaven which is so wonderful, our minds can only guess about it and compare it to the beauty we see here and the wonderful experiences we have had, Hell is the complete opposite. No matter what trials you have had, the pain you have experienced you cannot know or understand how horrible hell will be.

I think one of the worst aspects of hell will be the total lack of hope. Nothing in the future to cling to, no moment of freedom and second chances. Eternal, everlasting, never-ending torment! 2 Thessalonians 1:9 “They will be punished with “everlasting” destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” Matthew 13:50 “and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

All the goats will be with the one they served, the devil and all his angels. Pause for a moment and think about that. We have trouble waiting in a hospital room, it seems like forever to us, but no matter the outcome of the one we are with, we will eventually get free. We have a hope that the time will come for us to walk out the door. No Hope…Maybe no hope would not seem so bad if it was just a dark place or we thought death would eventually come, but no such luck. Yet, for His sheep, those that are born-again, those who have surrendered their hearts and lives to Jesus it is going to be the best of the best, one great thing after another. Most importantly we will be with the one in whom we have believed, Jesus. For all eternity, Jesus and goodness…Wow!

A yes to Jesus…Is the “BEST” yes that could ever be. If you are his now is a good time to say thank you Lord for your mercy on me. Thank you for this free gift of salvation, my sin for your righteousness. Thank you Lord for the promise of eternity forever with you, thank you that I am a Sheep!!

So often in life, we are looking for that someone or something to solve whatever is going on in our lives. We are desperate to have a situation fixed, a relationship healed, a need met; we want a physical healing to take place.
It all seems like too much and we want it to get done, the sooner the better!

We start looking to find an answer, we need relief and we need it now if it could only help as quickly as Alka-Seltzer, or pain meds through an IV line.
Some people in desperate need turn to a friend or a family member, others turn to drugs and alcohol and some just run and hide. Life is running them over and they need that precious relief. Where is it, where is the help we need? How will it come? So, they search and try this and that to no avail.

I would say they are looking in the wrong place, help is right in front of them. It is not a what, but a who, and this who is Jesus. Not only is he standing waiting to be invited into your need, your situation, but he is constantly praying to the Father on your behalf. If you are his child he is praying for you. He is not up there condemning your need, but lovingly praying for you all the while he waits for you to turn to him. Romans 8:34
“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, Yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

Psalm 39:7 asks this question: “But now, Lord, what do we look for?” and then goes on to say “My hope is in you.” We need to look to Jesus, he is standing right in front of whatever need, hurt, healing etc. that you have or need, waiting for you to see him and invite him into your need. God does not usually come barging into our life’s needs, instead, he gently knocks on our heart’s door waiting, wanting access, wanting surrender.

Life is overwhelming when we try to do it alone. We can get ourselves so bogged down, so much on overload that we miss the answer standing right in front of us. Whatever the need, the question, He is the answer. When Christian’s leave Jesus out of the equation it causes a separation in their relationship with him. He does not move, we do. And if that separation goes on for long we find ourselves drifting further and further away in our own hearts and minds. I have lived this very thing, forgetting to pray and keep God at the forefront of my need, walking with him daily in prayer and his word. I can tell you with a certainty it did not go well and when I finally woke up from my spiritual laps I was amazed at the distance I had drifted away.

So, I urge you friends, if you are in need turn to him, see that he is there, waiting patiently to answer your prayers, meet your need, help you over this hurdle. No, the answer will not always come the way you think it should, but it will come the way He knows is best and that gives him the most pleasure and glory. Don’t allow yourself to drift away, don’t waste your time searching for another way, stop looking for a something or someone else. Cast your gaze on”the One,” who can satisfy your deepest longings and needs; He who holds the world in the palm of his hand, surely has a solution to whatever you need. Just like the invalid man wanting to get into the pool for healing, his answer was right in front of him. Jesus. He had looked for someone to help him, that someone was the Lord. Read it in John 5:1-10 It is a great picture of how helpless we are without the Lord. How long will you wait before turning to him and inviting him into your situation?

I will leave you with these gems:
Psalm 16:5-9 “You, Lord, are all I have, and you give me all I need; my future is in your hands. 6 How wonderful are your gifts to me; how good they are! 7 I praise the Lord, because he guides me, and in the night my conscience warns me. 8 I am always aware of the Lord’s presence; he is near, and nothing can shake me.”

2 Peter 1:3 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.”

Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Psalm. 37:39-40 “The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. 40 The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them because they take refuge in him.”

Philippians 3:18-20 “For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

How much do you love this world? Do you spend your days selfishly pursuing your own interests? Is the next best thing just around the corner and you cannot wait to have it, or do it? Your life is caught up in all of the pleasures of the world. You go from one earthly thing to another in the pursuit of what pleases you. Do you satisfy self before ever considering another?

As Christian’s are pursuits should not be for self and selfish gain. We are to be servants here on this earth while we await Christ’s return. Our interests should be directed at others and how we can fulfill a need. Working together beside other believers to further the work of God, loving, giving, serving, helping etc. We are warned not to pursue selfish ambitions. We are encouraged to follow Christ’s example while we walk this earth. Although free, it is not a freedom to look inward, fulfilling selfishness. We are to take every opportunity to be the best us we can be.

No, there is nothing wrong with having nice things, having a good job, taking vacations and the like, but if all we ever do revolves around us and our wants we have missed the mark. Our minds need to have Christ at the forefront of our thinking, our relationship with him should dictate our lives and our lives should look more and more like Jesus the longer we live and serve on this earth.

One day we will be with the Lord either through death or when we are caught up into the air to meet him upon his return for his church. Personally, I want to be found doing the work of the Lord, loving and serving in a way pleasing to him. I do not want to be so preoccupied with getting more hear that I no longer desire his return and the thought of leaving it all behind makes me upset.

We need to “press on” in every good way while we wait. We are to live our lives in such a way that others take note of it, not to draw attention to ourselves, but to draw attention to Christ. Our words and our walks need to reflect Jesus.

Maybe after reading this, you find yourself thinking, “what am I doing for others?” “Are the things I do solely for self?” If so, and the Lord is calling you out of selfishness into a greater thing, then simply repent, say I am sorry and surrender “self” to him. If you say I am not sure where to start or with whom, he will show you that as well, just ask. God loves surrendered lives; lives lived in a sacrificial way. Love does…remember that!

Ephesians 2:4-8 “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.”

My pastor put it this way; “Jesus came into my tomb and spoke the words, they made me alive. He alone did it. I was dead (spiritually) and dead men cannot choose, but God came to where I was and chose me, saved me.”
God chooses, calls, saves. God is Sovereign over it all. I do nothing!

Where would I be if Jesus had not walked into my tomb, called out my name and gave me such unmerited favor? I can think of many ways my life could have gone and none of them are good. Being raised in a home where abuse was the norm, my thoughts about myself was so skewed. I felt worthless, dirty and like I was no good for anything.

If Jesus had not called my name, I could easily have ended up a run-away, dead from suicide, a prostitute and the list goes on. When I think back to that teenage girl who was holding desperately onto the truths I had heard in church and from my grandmother. Believing that God did indeed love me, he did indeed have a plan for my life, He really could bring joy from my ashes and set my feet on solid ground. My heart desperately believing that God had a plan and it was good. But you see I could not have had the glimmer of hope had he not walked right into my spiritual tomb and said come to me, you are mine. I am giving you living water, my life for yours, debt paid in full.

I did nothing to deserve this salvation, He knew when I was in my mother’s womb that I was his. My name had already resounded in the supernatural world, in God’s mind and heart. It blows my mind, I cannot conceive how such a Holy, Righteous God would even want to call my name, give me his righteousness, accept my filthy rags, but he did, before I ever did anything good or bad, he said: “She is mine!” Wow, what love, what mercy!

It says that salvation is a gift of God, I cannot earn it by doing good works, I cannot beg for it, I could not purchase it…it was a free, unmerited gift of God, all done for his good pleasure.

I am now seated with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. Me a sinner from birth, called by God for salvation, forgiven, made righteous by his blood, heaven bound…and he did it all! What am I to say to such a love and gift? Thank you, Lord, for saving a wretch like me. Thank you Lord for this free gift of salvation, Thank you for forgiving me and giving me eternal life. Lord, I praise you for you are worthy, you are good, you are loving, you are salvation, you are righteous…it is all about you and only you!

Oh, we need to love others, serve others, be sacrificial in all we do, but it is not because we have to work to keep our salvation, God does that, we do it out of love for Christ Jesus and because he tells us to love others and to serve. You do not turn to someone who has given you a gift and say “How much do I owe you?” No, you simply say thank you!

Oh, how precious is the love of God, that he would desire to have me spend eternity with him. How great the grace that extended to my sinful sorry soul. How good of him to plan my steps of this life with just the right amount of joy and pain to cause my heart to be tender to his leading and guiding. Oh, He is good! His love is better than life!

So many want to take credit for “deciding they wanted Jesus,” that is so funny to me if they decide they want him it is because he has already begun the regeneration in them needed for them to answer the call to salvation. Their spirit has already been pricked and their spiritual ears already tuned to hear and answer the call. If God has chosen to save you, it is a done deal friends.

The other argument is well if God does it all then why do we preach the gospel? The short answer is because we were commanded to! Enough said!
When a man thinks he helps in the saving of his dead sinful self it is simply his pride speaking, feeling the need to have a hand in it. Jesus died for his own and he calls his own in his own timing. If you have been called, live in with a sense of amazement, joy, thanksgiving, and praise. I am so very thankful He walked into my tomb and spoke to my dead sinful self and said: “Come, follow me, I give you life eternal life.” Life for death, joy for sadness, holiness in place of sinfulness, righteousness, a future home in heaven…and so much more, oh Praise His Holy Name! Because He lives I will live forever, because He is righteous, I am made righteous; unmerited favor, a free gift…think about it!