Good deads don't join us or bring us closer to the Lord
Bad deeds don't pull us away.
You are not the hinge at which your relationship with God.
All God wants is your belief... One time to say yes to his advertisement of Grace and come in.
From that point there is no escape! Nothing you do can make Christ love you more or less.
Jesus' love for you never changes even if you love for him does.
I remember times I committed blasphemy I was so hurt by my sin and the harsh demands of the law.
I felt I blew it and Jesus was no longer on my side.
What made this worse is when I felt I needed to make this big change to "get back on the Lord's side" because if unapproachable God comes to me and then I get so big headed that I go back to my "old ways". I'm headed for hell
The truth is you are a new creature and even those things you "Think" are old ways are really made new in Christ.
There is nothing wrong with your desires as a Christian.
YOu make thing, hmmm... I'ma Christian so I can't smoke, drink, party, or do anything fun.But this is not true. The party stuff is mostly for your entertainment, but honestly when you have God in the picture Him being there is more than entertainment.
God's not going to say, Hey, get out of that party house now or get out of my house!
Instead He says are you ok, are you naucious, do you need help, are you having fun, do you REALLY enjoy this?
Moral living is subjective. Some people say the 10 commandments are moral living, others say nothing too fun is moral living.
The point is moral living is not the goal. Moral living is really an outcome. You may beat yourself up and say, "I'm still not moral enough," BUt this is the leader in fighting a battle that is not even yours.
I can't tell you how many times I've beat up myself and even injured myself fighting the moral living battle for no reason other than a cocky attempt to please a Father who is already pleased.
Faith pleases God, because all FAITH is wrapped up in the LOVE of Jesus.
The Gospel of Grace almost seems to good to be true. I mean A God who could but doesn't beat you up for your sins although you may want Him to.
If you hurt come to Him, the last thing He wants to do is refuse, rebuke, or show anger in an attempt to "cleanse" you.
True Clean is ia gift that is not earned.
Holiness is a gift.
Righteousness is a gift.
- The Bible says in Psalm 34:7 Delight thyself also in the Lord and He shall give thee the desires on thine heart
This doesn't mean... HEY you do something and the Lord will give you something...
Old Testament saints only saw a shadow of God and not the full picture of God. Their covenant was based on their works.
But now under Grace God gives you the desires of your heart first.
Matthew 7:7
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Matthew 7:8
For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
These are the Words of Jesus. These words can sound like once again God is asking me to do something to get something, but this is just not true. Let's continue.
John 10:9
New Living Translation
Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.
This scripture shows why it is essential to make Jesus your conerstone. Jesus is the gate, and when you come in through Him you will be saved, and be free, and be provided for. God will sustain you.
Once again this is not an invitation for you to do something. This is an invitation to believe something.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
These Words of Jesus are the most important. This is what all blessing of God hinges on It hidges on Jesus.
Yes, what we get out of it is important. But God's forgiveness is not based on our forgiveness. He forgave and we are free.
This is why we come to Him. It's natural when a person loves you you begin to trust Him. And your perfect performance or performance at all is not what pleases Him.
Your faith does. Even if it's little faith because no faith is too little for God.
Matthew 17:20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
If you have faith, nothing is impossible. The reason being is because:
A. Nothing is too hard for God (Jeremiah 32:27)
New Living Translation
"I am the LORD, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?
B. For With God Nothing Shall Be Impossible (Luke 1:37)
I remember when I attempted suicide, I held on to this scripture while I was doing network marketing.
I use to use it to dream big dreams of a 6 figure mlm business (and I still do). But I found that faith is used more than just to get stuff. It's best use is to please God.
Without faith it is impossible to please God.
My favorite Grace is when God and I are having the time of our lives laughing at silly stuff.
See this is a small example of faith. To see Grace when circumstance doesn't agree.
When things do line up with God. It's a funny trip. You're happy because you finally got what you're asking for, but a little bit you think is God only around when I need help.
That's a dangerous mindset because trouble don't last always.
If you only trust God in trouble then you'll always look for trouble to trust God.
The work of God doesn't need ever improving.
In Christ you are made Holy & Acceptable, you're not on a mission to become Holy & Acceptable, and this means to your peers as well.
Ephesians 1:6
King James 2000 Bible
To the praise of the glory of his grace, in which he has made us accepted in the beloved
IN closing I'll leave you with this...
Shoot man, laugh a little. It ain't a big deal. God loves you, you are accepted, and you are Holy. Nothing changes that.
~ May God Richly Bless You,
Justin Allen Hammonds
Jah Thanks God.