In his book, “One Way Love” Tullian Tchividjian describes God’s grace as follows.” What is Grace? The definition comes from Paul Zahl. He explains that Grace is love that seeks you out when you have nothing to give in return. Its love coming at you that has nothing to do with you. Its being loved when you are unlovable. Its unconditional love. Its one-way love It defies logic.”

I admit that I have issues with Grace. I grew up in a performance demanding society. I taught school for 40 years handing out grades for performance. I gave failing grades to kids. How do you think a teenager feels when someone tells him he’s a failure. I coached sports where winning is valued and losing is….unacceptable. So it was hard for me to accept God’s Grace and unconditional love. I was taught like all of us that we had to earn God’s love. Then Grace came along in my life and changed everything. I had a God in Jesus that loved me unconditionally. He loves me through the good, the bad, and the ugly. I still have problems with it. But I have come to learn as Tchividjian says, “It is true. Its the truest truth in the entire universe. God loves us independently of what we may or may not bring to the table. There are no strings attached”.

Have a great week and may you receive God’s gift of Grace everyday….Believe It!

1Corinthians 13:12….For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; Then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

We are imperfect, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. We are broken so that’s the playing field. Instead of complaining about it or denying it we need to “play ball”. Mankind and the world is broken and that’s the truth. We need to be honest about this. I’m sure that some people are more broken than others, but we are all in need. What we need is a Savior and we have one in Jesus. The one that fully understands us, loves us unconditionally and extends a grace that is beyond our understanding. This not a new concept, just often forgotten or ignored. This has been the way for 2000 years and beyond. Do you think Jesus died on the cross for nothing? He died for something all right. He died for our brokeness and he has set things right for us. All we have to do is have faith, believe and abide in him……period. He redeemed us on the cross.

You’re right, pretty unbelievable.

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

God Bless you and have a great week!

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonable happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. AMEN

Proverbs 3; 5-6…..Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.

Do you ever feel that your not enough? Of course you do. We all do. In her song “You Say” Lauren Diagle sings, “I keep fighting voices that say I’m not enough. Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up. Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low. Remind me once again just who I am because I need to know.” Jesus reminds us that we are enough just as we are. We don’t have to earn anything. Just abide in him and he will show us the way.

It seems like we are running to a finish line that doesn’t exist and only through Jesus can we find the peace that “we are enough”.

Have a great week……You are enough. Believe it!

Isaiah 40:31….But those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Do I really have to choose to believe in Jesus? If I lead a good life, won’t I just automatically go to Heaven? What is Heaven like anyway? The answer is yes, you have to choose Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You have to believe. It’s easy for some and very hard for others. Jesus is the word and the word is found in reading the Bible. There is no doubt about it. The biggest choice one will make in his/her lifetime is what they do with Jesus. We don’t make the rules, God does. In the Bible the word says that Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life and that nobody comes to the Father (GOD) except through Jesus. I would say that’s pretty clear. And by the way, what’s so hard about trying. By this I mean learn about Jesus through books, going to church or talking to a friend who is a believer. It’s not that hard and costs you nothing. Take a chance, there is a lot riding on your choice. God Bless you.

John 14:6 – I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me

The following are the words of writer Robert Capon. Good to think about as we go through this week. Capon writes, “What role have I left for religion? None. And I have none because the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ leaves none. Christianity is not a religion; it is the announcement of the end of religion. Religion consists of all the things (believing, behaving, worshiping, sacrificing) the human race has ever thought it had to do to get right with God….Everything religion tried (and failed) to do has been perfectly done, once and for all, by Jesus in his death and resurrection. For Christians, therefore, the entire religion shop has been closed, boarded up and forgotten. The church is not in the religion business, it never has been and it never will be, in spite of all the ecclesiastical turkeys through two thousand years who have acted as if religion was their stock in trade. The church, instead, is in the Gospel proclaiming business. It is not here to bring the world the bad news that God will think kindly about us only after we have gone through certain creedal, liturgical and ethical wickets; it is here to bring the the Good News that “while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly” It is here, in short, for no religious purpose at all, only to announce the Gospel of Grace”….AMEN…. Thank you Robert Capon. It cannot be said any better than that.

John 3:16– God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that who ever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

I was listening to a country singer named Eric Church sing a song entitled “Like Jesus Does”. In the song Eric describes how she (I assume his wife) loves him like Jesus does. He describes himself as a “back road sinner at a tent revival. A good old boy drinking whiskey and rye”. She carries him when his sins are heavy and she knows the man he isn’t. And above she forgives him when he can’t forgive himself. Eric always thought she would give up on him one day. But she instead loves him like Jesus does, with undeserved grace and unconditional love. As Eric’s last line says, “I thank God every night and twice on Sunday”.

Jesus, our Lord and Savior died for our sins and will never leave us. He loves us with an unconditional love that is nearly impossible to understand. He asks nothing in return. He wants us to simply believe in him and have faith. To Trust Him.

Remember………Jesus plus nothing equals everything.

Have a good week and see you next Monday.

I was asked recently the question, “What has God done for you? Well, let me answer that with the following. First, God gave me hope. He gave me Jesus who became my Lord and Savior. And Jesus gave me the Way and the Truth while the world gave me nothing. Then He gave me Jan to be my wife. Then He gave me my children. He has given me and my family good health which I NEVER take for granted. He has given me a way through his word in the Bible on how to live a life of purpose and meaning. So basically, His view of life is completely different then the world’s view. Obviously, I could go on and on pertaining to the things God has given me and still overlook much.

In conclusion, I greatly appreciate and am thankful for all that God and His son Jesus has done for me. I am overwhelmed by his Grace and unconditional love. I give Jesus my gratitude. Thank you, Lord. Amen

John 14:6 – I am the Way, and the Truth, and Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

I am not qualified to have God put His creation under my feet but that exactly what God does according to Psalms 8. Words like awesome and epic and greatness do not even come close to describing who God is.. These words and others do not come remotely close to describing His creation. Yet, God is mindful of us and loves us and wants to care for us. God crowned us with glory and honor. God made us ruler over His works. Yet, we manage to mess things up everyday. In our sin we have become irresponsible stewards of His creation. Yet again, God steps in and forgives us of our sins and continues to love us unconditionally and extending His amazing grace to us. That’s unbelievable when you think about it. He gives us way, way, way more then we deserve…..He is incredible. I believe in you Jesus and want to continue to pursue you into the mystery of your creation.

Psalms 8:1 – How majestic is Your name in all the earth. You have set your Glory in the Heavens.