Category: Salvation

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Do You Believe?

What do you believe? Is your belief based on self-exploration, science, hearsay, and/or personal experience? Or is your belief based on faith?

Long before Edison and Franklin, electricity existed. Before Marconi, radio ways filled the air. Before Newton, there was gravity. There was something that each of these men saw which caused them to dream, to explore and to invent.

The same holds true in our relationship with God.

Religion tells us that we must work to earn God’s favor or his kindness and love but God’s word tells us something different. The Apostle Paul tells us that it’s the goodness of God that draws us to Him. We can see in ourselves and those around us that there is failure, selfishness, greed, misguided ambition, deceit – sin and that we fall short on our own. Through the pages of God’s word we see many examples of God’s unconditional love and our search leads us to Him.

“Jesus said, “Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? The people who have faith in me without seeing me are the ones who are really blessed!” 30 Jesus worked many other miracles for his disciples, and not all of them are written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in him, you will have true life.” John 20:29-31 ERV

The signs, the miracles, the daily works of Jesus are so extensive that they couldn’t all be written down. The purpose of His works were to bring us to a place where we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God and that we can have life through Him.

It’s not like believing in Santa or the tooth fairy or the Easter bunny. Our belief in a personal Savior is life changing; it is empowering; it is transforming!

“Our Lord and our God, you are like the sun and also like a shield. You treat us with kindness and with honor, never denying any good thing to those who live right. 12 Lord God All-Powerful, you bless everyone who trusts you.” Psalm 84:11-12 CEV

It’s ok to question – God’s big enough to handle it. If we’re honest enough to ask, He’s honest enough to answer. God is patiently waiting to show us His character; He won’t force us to believe in His love and goodness or even that He exists.

Just like those inventors who searched for the answers about electricity and radio waves we will find Him when we search for Him.

“Ask, and what you are asking for will be given to you. Look, and what you are looking for you will find. Knock, and the door you are knocking on will be opened to you. 8 Everyone who asks receives what he asks for. Everyone who looks finds what he is looking for. Everyone who knocks has the door opened to him. 9 What man among you would give his son a stone if he should ask for bread?…How much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?” Matthew 7:7-11 NLV

It’s not a matter of whether or not God can handle our questions, it’s can we deal honestly with His answers.

I ask again, what do you believe? Believe in God’s goodness; it will transform your life!

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Copy, Cut, Paste

Copy, Cut, Paste. It is a computer basic that has become second nature to most of us. One that my husband likes a lot. You know the concept was God’s idea.

“And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind…27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:25-27 KJV

God created us to be like Him – to be His representative, His counterpart on the earth. But when Adam sinned our nature was changed. God had to put a plan in place that would restore our relationship with Him.

Enter Jesus.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 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.” II Corinthians 5:17-19 KJV

In Christ, we become new – a new creature – like the one that God created in the Garden. Jesus restored us to our place of being created in God’s likeness. He copies and pastes the origin blueprint into our hearts.

“But God is rich in mercy, and he loved us very much. 5 We were spiritually dead because of all we had done against him. But he gave us new life together with Christ. (You have been saved by God’s grace.)…8 I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. 9 You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about. 10 God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.” Ephesians 2:4-10 ERV

In Christ we have been made new. It’s not something we work to earn but something we receive freely by grace. Salvation and restoration to a loving relationship with the Father God has been His plan from the beginning.

Since Christmas will be here in a couple of weeks, I give you permission to open the best gift you will ever receive – the gift of salvation, of renewed life and relationship with the Father.

Open it now and share it with others!

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Good News!

This morning I found that our youngest daughter had put pictures of our newest granddaughter on Facebook. It was such a striking example of the love we parents have for our children. From the moment they are conceived they change our lives. SO MUCH JOY! She’s perfect!

It’s also an example of what happens in heaven when one person is “born again”!

New birth in Christ – old things are passed away and all things become new! A new member of the family – everyone’s excited. Cameras, spiritually, are capturing the moment and the announcement goes out – a new child has joined the family. Party time of a heavenly degree!

“Jesus said, “In the same way God’s angels are happy when even one person turns to him.” Luke 15:10 CEV

The story that Jesus told right before this was of a woman who had lost a coin and she searched and swept every corner of her house until she found it. She lost something valuable and she was determined to find it. She wasn’t willing to just let things alone or wait for it to turn up someday. She sought it out with a unfailing determination. Everything else had to be put on hold until she was successful in her search.

That’s the way it is with God the Father. He is on a relentless search, looking for all who will accept Him. He isn’t willing that “any should perish but that all should come to repentance”. For God so loved the world that He gave Jesus to die so that “whosoever”, anyone and everyone, should not perish. He made this great sacrifice when we were at our worst, “God demonstrated His love for us while we were yet sinners Christ died for us”.

Oh the wonderful experience of the new birth – it wasn’t without pain or suffering, Jesus died a painful death; but for us, the new child, it means life eternal with a Father who gives freely His unconditional love and forgiveness. No wonder the angels are rejoicing!!

“But God, the One Who saves, showed how kind He was and how He loved us 5 by saving us from the punishment of sin. It was not because we worked to be right with God. It was because of His loving-kindness that He washed our sins away. At the same time He gave us new life when the Holy Spirit came into our lives. 6 God gave the Holy Spirit to fill our lives through Jesus Christ, the One Who saves. 7 Because of this, we are made right with God by His loving-favor. Now we can have life that lasts forever as He has promised.” Titus 3:4-7 NLV

Take time today to think of where you were when you accepted Christ and His free gift of new life! The Father took your picture and has kept it on His mantle; He’s added others to it as you’ve grown and experienced wonderful achievements in this new life. He’s pointing to you and saying “yes, that’s my son, my daughter – I love them!”

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Going Once, Going Twice, Sold

Dave and I are off on a fun adventure today. Going to do something we both really enjoy. We’re going to an auction! I can tell you we are both excited. We haven’t been to an auction since we moved back to Arizona. We used to go to farm, ranch and estate auctions frequently. Sometimes we go a couple times a month.

What’s so great about an auction? Finding a treasure!

And when we go it’s generally a full day’s event. We stay to the very end; some folks only come for one or two items and others just grow weary from standing there all day but we’ve found, that by staying until the end, we can always find one or two more treasures at a really great price.

Yesterday we went for the preview. We had an opportunity to look things over; pick them up and look for flaws. We tested electrical items and look closely at glassware for chips, nicks and utensil scratches.

Do you realize that we too have been to an auction? Each of us has been on the auction block and we were sold to the highest bidder. The bidders came and evaluated our worth, and they paid the price. Some of the bidders who registered for bidding rights were wealth, fame, success, family, education, career and Jesus. They all looked us over and waited to put in a bid, hoping they would be the high bidder.

When the auctioneer had us lift our hands to show that we were the next one up for bid, they watched with anticipation. Each one increasing the bid a bit more, each one hoping to hear “final warning, last bid, sold”. But only one could walk away with the prize, only one had unlimited resources, only one was willing to pay all to take us home.

That one…Jesus!

“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” I Corinthians 6:19-21 NLT

“Lord, you have come to my defense;  you have redeemed my life.” Lamentations 3:58 NLT

There is a term in the auction world, “buy order”. It means no matter the cost, win the bid. That’s what Jesus did with us; He issued a buy order. The price of our purchase was great; it cost Him his life.

“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.” Romans 5:6-10 NLT

Today we will go to the auction and come home with a few treasures. We will be purchasing inanimate objects that can be picked up and carried home. They have no choice in the process.

What Jesus did in purchasing us is beyond compare. He gave His life for all. He is not willing that anyone would be left out. But we have a free will; we choose if we will accept His offer.

“He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. 14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” John 1:10-14 NLT

Many years ago I chose to give Him my life. Each day I choose to live for the One who purchased my freedom. I hope you have done or will do the same!

Going once, going twice, sold to the Man who hung on the cross!

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Praying in the Garden

Anyone remember cassette tapes? A few of my favorites from the early 1990’s were by a group called Heirloom. But alas, I no longer have a cassette player so I thought that music was gone. I recently found a CD of their music, all the songs that were on that cassette, I purchased it right away. The harmony is angelic and the words of the songs fill my heart with such joy.

Yesterday I was out running errands and had the CD playing. One of the songs that is particularly meaningful to me is titled, Crying in the Garden. Here are just a few lines:

Can’t you hear Him crying in the garden
A broken hearted Savior that day
Weeping for His straying children
And those who have turned Him away.

While the city slept in the distance
There on a hillside I see
Jesus with heart heavy laden
Kneeling in Gethsemane.

This song talks of Jesus last hours on earth. He knew the cross was before Him, soon the soldiers would come to arrest Him. He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. This morning I re-read the words of His prayer.

I had to ask myself, if I were in my last hours of life how would I pray. Jesus’ prayer, His conversation with His Father, was one of love and gratitude. He was resolved. He willingly gave His life for our redemption. He was praying for us, for those of us who would accept His gift of new life and He was praying that everyone would take advantage of this wonderful gift.

He was praying that we would experience the same wonderful, loving relationship with the Father that He had. Here’s the last few verses of Jesus prayer, it’s recorded in John 17. This is what Jesus was praying for us…

“I am not praying just for these followers. I am also praying for everyone else who will have faith because of what my followers will say about me. 21 I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us. Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me.

22 I have honored my followers in the same way that you honored me, in order that they may be one with each other, just as we are one. 23 I am one with them, and you are one with me, so that they may become completely one. Then this world’s people will know that you sent me. They will know that you love my followers as much as you love me.

24 Father, I want everyone you have given me to be with me, wherever I am. Then they will see the glory that you have given me, because you loved me before the world was created. 25 Good Father, the people of this world don’t know you. But I know you, and my followers know that you sent me. 26 I told them what you are like, and I will tell them even more. Then the love that you have for me will become part of them, and I will be one with them.” John 17:20-27 CEV

Jesus heart was heavy. He knew that He would be separated from God’s presence for the first time since time began. He knew that when He took all our sins on Himself that God, the Father, wouldn’t be able to look at Him. The heavens grew black at that hour. But He knew that He would come out of the grave victoriously and that all of mankind would be free to have relationship with the Father once again.

He knew the sacrifice would be worth it and He prayed for us!

“We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew that later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side[a] of God’s throne! 3 So keep your mind on Jesus, who put up with many insults from sinners. Then you won’t get discouraged and give up.” Hebrews 12:2-3 CEV

I’m so grateful that Jesus prayed for me in that Garden. I believe His prayers are answered. I believe that God the Father loves me as much as He loves Jesus and that I can show the world His love.

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A Real Budget Buster

Have you ever taken time to evaluate your spending habits? We have lived on a budget all our married life. Everything has a category and an amount and to the best of my ability I try to make it all line up each month. Need to be good stewards right?

This morning I was thinking about spending; spending for groceries, vehicles, clothing, furniture, entertainment, health and extragavences. The way we assign value differs from category to category. I want to get a “good deal” on vegetables and meat and so I set an amount that I won’t go over when it comes to a pound of meat or a pound of grapes.

We shop for the best buy when it comes to our furniture and vehicles and are always looking for a super sale. Then there are those things that we will willing go into our savings to purchase; a child’s wedding or college education, medical expenses for a loved one. These require sacrifice but a sacrifice of love.

As I was reading in I Corinthians I saw Paul repeat a phrase that he had used earlier in the book.

” God paid a high price for you,” I Corinthians 7:23 ERV

I want you to stop and think about your value this morning. Do you understand how priceless you are to the Father? We’re not like a bunch of grapes or a bag of tomatoes that can be bought cheaply for $.99 per pound. We’re not like the new dress or new car that He waited for the big sale to purchase. We are invaluable to Him.

Our value is so great that we are “Budget Busters”!

“God’s kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field. One day a man found the treasure. He hid it again and was so happy that he went and sold everything he owned and bought the field. 45 “Also, God’s kingdom is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 One day he found a very fine pearl. He went and sold everything he had to buy it.” Matthew 13:44-26 ERV

The earth is the world, God the Father is the man, we are the treasure or the pearl and Jesus is the price that was paid!

What is it that would cause you to sell all you have – your home, your jewelry, your cars, your boat, your horses, your RV, cash in the CD’s and empty the savings account? What would be valuable enough to have you sell all to buy one treasure?

We are that treasure! God gave His only begotten Son to purchase us!

No words can convey what I am feeling in my heart this morning as I realize in a deeper way God’s love for me.

” And I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is. 19 Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with everything God has for you.” Ephesians 3:18-19 ERV

Father, I will take my words of praise from the Psalms
“Your faithful love is better than life, so my lips praise you. 4 By my life, I will praise you. In your name, I lift my hands in prayer” Psalm 63:3-4 ERV

Thank you for seeing me as valuable!

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Gospel Means Good News

There is no better news than to know someone loves you! To know they are devoted to you and would do anything for you, including sacrificing their own life.

Yes, Jesus is that someone!

This morning I have just one set of verses for you to read, please don’t skip over them.

“In the past you were dead because you sinned and fought against God. 2 You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn’t obey God. 3 Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else.

4-5 But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much that he made us alive with Christ, and God’s wonderful kindness is what saves you. 6 God raised us from death to life with Christ Jesus, and he has given us a place beside Christ in heaven. 7 God did this so that in the future world he could show how truly good and kind he is to us because of what Christ Jesus has done. 8 You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. 9 It isn’t something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about. 10 God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live. That’s why he sent Christ to make us what we are.” Ephesians 2:1-10 CEV

Extra, Extra! Read all about it! This is the good news of God. He loves us so much that He has shown us unfathomable mercy. He has saved us and has planned good things for us. All of this is done by His grace, He treats us so much better than we deserve.

These words are living truth to me. My life has been dramatically changed forever because of His amazing love. When I think of how much the Lord loves me and the plan He has for my life I am at a loss for words.

As I sit here and write this, an old song has come to mind. I want to share a few words with you – they express my heart. No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus.

I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus,
Since I found in Him a friend so strong and true.
I would tell you how
He changed my life completely;
He did something no other friend could do.

No one ever cared for me like Jesus;
There’s no other friend so kind as He.
No one else could take the sin
And darkness from me;
O how much He cared for me.

I hope this is Good News to you. There is nothing any greater than this that I can share.

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Are You With Or In?

Each morning I spend quite a bit of time looking for the right image to go with each day’s blog. I hope that the image used will stick with you through the day and cause you to remember the teaching I share.

When I saw this image, I knew I had to use it. This little guy is “with” the ducks and “in” the water.

Have you ever thought about the difference between “with” and “in”?

If you have water in a glass and you take it to the table it is “with” you. But you can leave that room and leave the water behind. However, if you drink the water it is “in” you. It gives life to your cells and nourishes your body.

All through the Old Testament we find that God was “with” the people. When Jesus came one of his names was Emmanuel, God “with” us and wherever Jesus went He took God with Him. It is the presence of God that changes our lives.

But once we accept Jesus as our Saviour the Scriptures says that we are “in” Him.

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding [ain it with thanksgiving.

8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead ]bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:6-10 NKJV

His fullness fills us with His life, His love, His character. Wherever we go we take Christ in us. We bring His nature, His life to every circumstance and person we come in contact with.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, God has given us every spiritual blessing in heaven. 4 In Christ, he chose us before the world was made. He chose us in love to be his holy people—people who could stand before him without any fault. 5 And before the world was made, God decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. This was what God wanted, and it pleased him to do it. 6 And this brings praise to God because of his wonderful grace. God gave that grace to us freely. He gave us that grace in Christ, the one he loves.” Ephesians 1:3-6 ERV

We don’t need to beg God for be “with us”. We need to be aware, vitally aware, He is always “in us” because we are “in Christ”. He goes with us everywhere, we can’t ever be separated from Him.

“This message is the secret truth that was hidden since the beginning of time. It was hidden from everyone for ages, but now it has been made known to God’s holy people. 27 God decided to let his people know just how rich and glorious that truth is. That secret truth, which is for all people, is that Christ lives in you, his people. He is our hope for glory. 28 So we continue to tell people about Christ. We use all wisdom to counsel every person and teach every person. We are trying to bring everyone before God as people who have grown to be spiritually mature in Christ.” Colossians 1:26-28 ERV

He lives “in” us so that we can take Him to the world! Let the Lord shine through you today.

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My Best Friend

I know there are some of you who read my postings each morning and you wouldn’t call yourself a religious person or even a Christian. I want to talk to you for a minute. Several years ago, I was leading a weight loss small group and it was attended by people from many different walks, some were church people and some weren’t. At the end of each class I would close in prayer. This one particular night I had a woman say to me in front of everyone, “I’ve never heard anyone pray like you do; you talk to God just like he’s your friend.” I smiled and said, “He is.”

Each morning I spend time talking to Him. We share coffee and He talks to me from His word. It’s not something I “Have” to do. It’s something I “Get” to do. The Father desires to spend time with me and you.

This is Easter weekend and amidst the baskets and bunnies, the lilies and the eggs you will find an empty cross and an empty tomb. This is the place where my friend died.

John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, saw Jesus walking up the road and he made this comment to those around him “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Jesus came all those years ago to be your sacrifice, a lamb, pure and spotless as was required by Jewish tradition for a sin offering. He came to take away our sins and not just the sins of those who have already believed on Him and received Him as Savior but the sins of the WHOLE world.

“Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the world’s people.” I John 2:2 CEV

God knows more about your sins than you do. You have probably forgotten a lot of the ones that happened a long time ago but God made sure that they were all covered by one sacrifice.

John 3:16 says God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, Jesus, that whoever would believe on Him (believe that He was the perfect sacrifice for sin) would not perish but would have eternal life. And then the next verse goes on to say that Jesus didn’t come in to the world to condemn us but that through Him we might have eternal life.

If you don’t know that you really have received God’s free gift – the forgiveness of your sins and His promise to make you an adopted child in the family of God then I encourage you strongly to do that today. Not a lot of fanfare or bells and whistles but just simply a believing heart, accepting God’s gift of mercy and grace. God loves you unconditionally – He knows all about you, He’s always there for you and He’s reaching out to your know.

Just come to Him and say, “Father God, you gave your only Son to die for my sins so that I can have a life and relationship with you. I believe that Jesus died for me and I accept His sacrifice as payment for my sin. I receive Your precious gift of eternal life and I thank you for it. In Jesus Name.”

If you prayed that prayer I encourage you to tell someone about this wonderful gift you have received and I encourage you to get to know Your Father. He desires to be your best friend!

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Happy Dance

Not too many things bring a bigger smile and lots of spontaneous giggles than a group of children dancing. It’s just pure joy and delight!

That’s how I feel this morning. My heart is filled with joy. All night long I would hear myself singing the chorus from a song I remember hearing on the Bill Gaither Gospel Reunions. It was sung by Ivan Parker and then he’d be joined by the whole chorus. Here are the words to the chorus that filled my heart and my head, “When I Get Carried Away”.

“I’m gonna let the glory roll when the roll is called in glory
I’ll get beside of myself when I get beside the king that day
I’m gonna have the time of my life when the time of my life is over
I’m gonna get carried away when I get carried away”

I accepted Christ as my Saviour when I was very young. I remember realizing my need for forgiveness, walking the aisle Sunday night at church and the sweet Christian lady who talked with me to make sure I understood salvation and then prayed with me. At that tender age, I knew Christ had died for me and had forgiven me and I wanted to give Him my life.

Now that I’m older, I’m amazed by God’s goodness, mercy and grace. His unconditional love paid the price of sin for everyone through Jesus sacrifice. Every sin ever committed from the beginning of time until this earth passes away was forgiven in that one act of sacrifice! God had not only forgiven the sins I had committed up to the day I asked Jesus to be my Saviour but He had forgiven everyone of them since that day.

“My children, I am writing this so that you won’t sin. But if you do sin, Jesus Christ always does the right thing, and he will speak to the Father for us. 2 Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the world’s people.” I John 2:1-2 CEV

Whether my sins were great or small, it didnt matter – I still needed a Saviour. The Apostle James wrote that “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offends in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10

It’s a like a picture window; if you throw a rock through it, it’s broken; if you put a beebee through it, it’s still broken. The size of the hole doesn’t matter, the glass is broken. So whether you’re Hilter or a small girl in Yuma, Az, sin is sin and it requires a Saviour and the same sacrifice was necessary for both of us.

Please understand this, we won’t be judged for the right and wrong we do; we are given new life because we accept Jesus’ sacrifice for us. Jesus told his disciples that the Holy Spirit would come and convict us of sin. That sin was not believing in Jesus.

“Let me assure you, it is better for you that I go away. I say this because when I go away I will send the Helper to you. But if I did not go, the Helper would not come. 8 “When the Helper comes, he will show the people of the world how wrong they are about sin, about being right with God, and about judgment. 9 He will prove that they are guilty of sin, because they don’t believe in me.” John 16: 7-9 ERV

God’s love is unconditional. If we are the most base sinner who ever lived or the most self-righteous His love is the same. Each day I realized where I could have been without Jesus and I am so grateful and thankful that I am not without Him and that He chose me, He adopted me and made me a new creation.

I will close this glorious Sunday morning with an example from Jesus himself.

“A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So Jesus went to the Pharisee’s home and got ready to eat. 37 When a sinful woman in that town found out that Jesus was there, she bought an expensive bottle of perfume. 38 Then she came and stood behind Jesus. She cried and started washing his feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. The woman kissed his feet and poured the perfume on them.
39 The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and said to himself, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him! He would know that she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus said to the Pharisee, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Teacher, what is it?” Simon replied.
41 Jesus told him, “Two people were in debt to a moneylender. One of them owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other owed him fifty. 42 Since neither of them could pay him back, the moneylender said that they didn’t have to pay him anything. Which one of them will like him more?”
43 Simon answered, “I suppose it would be the one who had owed more and didn’t have to pay it back.”
“You are right,” Jesus said.
44 He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Have you noticed this woman? When I came into your home, you didn’t give me any water so I could wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You didn’t even pour olive oil on my head, but she has poured expensive perfume on my feet. 47 So I tell you that all her sins are forgiven, and that is why she has shown great love. But anyone who has been forgiven for only a little will show only a little love.”
48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 Some other guests started saying to one another, “Who is this who dares to forgive sins?”
50 But Jesus told the woman, “Because of your faith, you are now saved. May God give you peace!” Luke 7:36-50 ERV

I get carried away when I dwell on how much God loves me and the depth of His forgiveness. I invite you to join me in my happy dance this morning, let’s get carried away together!

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