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It is important for us to remember that there is only one way for us to be
made right with God Almighty. It can never be done by doing righteous
acts or deeds or simply by being a good person. All of this is very well
and fine, but God’s standard for salvation is far more demanding. It
requires a sacrifice of epic proportions; one we could never have
imagined. We were not good enough to save ourselves and the biggest and
grandest of our sacrifices would not even have come close. God knew this
from the beginning and in His infinite wisdom, love and mercy; He gave
Himself to be our sacrifice. (Galatians 3:20-29) (1 Timothy 2:5-6) (Acts 4:12)
The Creator decreed that He would die for His creation. Our salvation is
undeserved, yet thankfully still exists to all who recognize their sin and
more importantly see their need for The Savior, Jesus Christ. Never
believe the lie that you are self-sufficient and good enough to make
heaven. That lie comes straight from the depths of hell encouraging you
to believe that you are okay. None of us are okay unless we are washed in
the Blood of the Lamb Who cleanses us of our unrighteousness and makes us
clean forevermore. (Romans 5:6-11) (Galatians 4:4-7) (1 Peter 1:16-23)
I hope this message challenges your heart to see that you need Jesus
Christ to save your eternal soul. We can never be good enough to meet
God's standard, but thankfully He knew this and made a way for us to call
Him our Heavenly Father.
THE AFFLUENT POOR
You cannot save yourself. Not through the right rituals. Not through the
right doctrine. Not through the right devotion. Not through the right
goose bumps. Jesus is crystal clear. It is impossible for human beings to
save themselves.
Jesus doesn't say improbable. He doesn't say unlikely. He doesn't even say
it will be tough. He says it is impossible to save yourself. No chance. No
way. No loopholes. No hope. Impossible. It's impossible to swim the
Pacific. It's impossible to go to the moon on the tail of a kite. You
can't climb Mount Everest with a picnic basket and a walking stick. And
unless somebody does something, you don't have a chance of going to heaven.
Does that strike you as cold? All your life you've been rewarded according
to your performance. You get grades according to your study. You get
commendations according to your success. You get money in response to your work.
That's why the rich young ruler thought heaven was just a payment away. It
only made sense. You work hard, you pay your dues, and “zap”? your account
is credited as paid in full. Jesus says, “No way.” What you want costs far
more than what you can pay. You don't need a system, you need a Savior.
You don't need a resume, you need a Redeemer. For “what is impossible with
men is possible with God” (Luke 18:27).
You see, it wasn't the money that hindered the rich man; it was the
self-sufficiency. It wasn't the possessions; it was the pomp. It wasn't
the big bucks; it was the big head. “How hard it is for the rich to enter
the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23). It's not just the rich who have
difficulty. So do the educated, the strong, the good-looking, the popular,
the religious. So do you if you think your piety or power qualifies you as
a kingdom candidate.
You don't impress the officials at NASA with a paper airplane. You don't
boast about your crayon sketches in the presence of Picasso. You don't
claim equality with Einstein because you can write “H2O.”
And you don't boast about your goodness in the presence of the Perfect.
By Max Lucado
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Revelation 3:20 Jesus declares, “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.”
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men
count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
1 John 1:8-10 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the
truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say
that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”
1 John 1:3-5 “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that
ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the
Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you,
that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of
Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.”
1 John 1:7-10 “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we
have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son
cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar,
and His word is not in us.”
All scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today's Selected Poem: FAITHFUL IS HE WHO HAS PROMISED
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem70.htm
Today's Selected Testimony: GOD'S GRACE AND MERCY
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony1.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry |
