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The goodness of the Lord is a gift that we could never deserve or earn by
our own merits. We could never be up to God's standards and be righteous
in His eyes. All of our works could never please God or make us accepting
to Him. The Bible says all of our righteousness are as filthy rags before
God. We are despicable, undeserving and flawed human beings who deserve
judgment and condemnation. Our ways are not His ways. Our thoughts are
not His thoughts. As wicked and divisive as the human being is, God still
saw goodness in him. God said I will love My creation, I will reconcile
Myself to him again and I will show him My goodness. God's goodness isn't
based on our goodness. His goodness is much more filled with love than we
could ever deserve. The Lord loves us with a love that is unimaginable
and unthinkable. He saw us not for who we are, but for who we could be in
Him. (Isaiah 64:6) (Isaiah 55:8-9) (2 Corinthians 5:17-19) (Jeremiah 31:3)
The Lord's goodness reached down from the heights of Heaven, born of a
virgin, lived a sinless life and ultimately died on a cruel cross so that
we the human race might be reconciled back to God again. God loves us so
much that He died on a cross so that we might live in Him. We could never
deserve or earn such a gift, but it is given to us by His grace. God's
grace saves us. God's grace forgives us. God's grace sustains us. It is
by the grace of God that we are saved not of works lest any man should
boast. If we could save ourselves, then Christ would not have died on the
cross. It was God's grace loving us when we were unlovable, forgiving us
when we were unforgivable and redeeming us when we were unredeemable.
(Ephesians 2:8-9) (Galatians 2:20-21)
Never mistake God's grace as deserving. We could never deserve God's
love. We could never earn God's love. He loves us with an unwavering,
unfailing and unending love that comes only by His grace. The Lord loves
you not because you deserve it, but because His love is so great for you.
His wish is to commune with you, to love you, to direct you and to be with
one with you by His Spirit. The Lord Jesus declares in Revelations 3:20
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and
open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with
Me.” The Lord wishes to come into our lives, but we must invite Him in.
We must welcome the Lord to be a part of our lives to lead us, to guide us
and to strengthen us when we have no strength for ourselves. See that He
loves you and know that His grace and mercy is sufficient to forgive you,
cleanse you and make you a new creation in Christ. Call upon Him and know
beyond any shadow of a doubt that He will never leave you nor forsake you.
(Romans 10:13)
I hope this message ministers to your heart to see that God's grace is a
gift that we all need in our lives. It is a gift that will nurture,
strengthen and enable us to walk with Christ.
A MORNING GIFT
Every morning when I wake up I find a neatly wrapped gift lying on my
chest. Now I have to admit that in my past I always pushed this gift aside
without even looking at it. I was too rushed and determined to get things
done to even consider opening it. I was working, pushing, and trying so
hard to make my life work out with so little progress at the end of each
day. I trudged through all of my pains, challenges and difficulties while
things went from bad to worse. I kept crawling through my life until I was
too exhausted to go on. Then one morning I finally noticed that beautiful
gift lying there and opened it for the first time.
These days when I open my eyes and see the gift waiting for me, I smile. I
carefully and happily tear off the paper and open the box. I take out the
gift and hold it in my arms. I give thanks for it and bring it with me
wherever I go all through the day. This gift makes my life so much better.
I meet people with a smiling face and a loving heart. I laugh easily, sing
often, and feel my spirit dancing even when my feet don’t. I face life’s
struggles, challenges, difficulties, and pains with hope, determination,
optimism, and joy. I know that whatever I must face and whatever I must do
that this glorious gift will carry me through.
This gift is Grace. It is the unconditional love of God. It is the
unmerited help of our Heavenly Father in all we do. Grace is waiting for
us each and every morning of our lives. It is waiting to make a home in
our hearts and minds. It is waiting for us to share it with the world.
Grace is there ready to help us live our live with love every single day.
What are you going to do when you wake up tomorrow morning? Are you going
to shove this gift aside and struggle to make it on your own? Or are you
going to thank God for this precious gift, take it in your hands, and
place it joyfully into your soul?
By Joseph J. Mazzella
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
2 Corinthians 5:19-21 “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the
world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath
committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s
stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us,
who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”
Galatians 3:13-14 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,
being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that
hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles
through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit
through faith.”
Isaiah 53:4-5 “Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows:
yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was
wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.”
Romans 10:9-11 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture
saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.”
All scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today's Selected Poem: DO NOT FEAR
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem174.htm
Today's Selected Testimony: MY LIFE CHANGE
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony164.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry |
