Pre-qualified and Approved!

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. 13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossian 1:12-14 NASB 

 

 How often have you received offers in your mailbox, or other phone informing you that you are pre-qualified for a line of credit or pre-approved for a lower rate? Usually, we throw these letters out with the other junk mail. Did you know God has an even better offer than any "savings and loan" type business can offer? 

 Man's offer of loans and better interest rates are based on achievement, personal assets, and credit ratings. In other words, based on the performance and proven ability to earn on the part of the client the preapproved offers are made. If you have a missed payment, if you have a blemish on your credit rating then no such offers will be made available. 

 When it comes to God He is not looking at man's performance before He offers them anything. If He did, none of us would personally qualify. No matter how disciplined, how self-controlled, or how much one has trained their human spirit, there is no one who can truly qualify to receive what only God can provide. 

 Even if we are seeing manifest blessings in our life, we must know and understand that is God's Love and great mercy being bestowed upon us. Am I saying we can't lay hold of God's promises by Faith? No, of course not. 

 I am saying that none of us in and of ourselves can earn or deserve what God provides. This is why an understanding of Grace is an essential aspect of the successful Christian life. Grace brings us all to an end of ourselves. 

 Grace brings an end to our efforts, our doings, our strivings, our disciplines, and our attempts to earn and achieve what God has promised and provided through Redemption. Grace reminds us that nothing we have achieved or attained is because of ourselves. It was all God's favor, His mercy, and His Love working for us, through us, and sometimes in spite of us. 

 This doesn't mean we live a passive life. This doesn't mean we lead a shiftless, lazy, lethargic, and idle life. This doesn't translate into a "do-nothing" life. What it does mean is we lead a "do-nothing-in order to-to receive-to inherit" all God has provided through Christ kind of life.

 When we accept Christ's free gift of new life and Righteousness we now have free access to all God's stuff. He has made available all things that pertain to life and godliness through Christ. What does through Christ or by Christ or in Christ even mean?

 It means whenever you need something or desire something, or ask for something it's as if Christ is asking. Therefore we are assured we have what we need or desire. We are in Him and When we pray in Jesus' name we are declaring that it is by Jesus we are coming and not in our own strength or performance.

 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ.  Romans 16:10a MEV

In Christ, we have been approved. We have free access to all God has provided for us. In fact, because of Christ we are actually pre-qualified and approved.

to the praise of the glory of His grace, in which He did make us accepted in the beloved, Ephesians 1:6 YLT 

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherewith he hath made us freely accepted in his beloved. Ephesians 1:6 GNV

 to the praise of his glorious grace with which he has highly favored us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:6 MOUNCE

 We are pre-qualified and approved to receive all God has promised and provided in this New Covenant. Because of the Finished Work of Redemption, all the qualifications to receive have already been met in Christ Jesus. All because of Jesus' work we are fully qualified to receive.

 The tradition of man declares we have to do something to earn or deserve or achieve the blessings and goodness of God. If you do enough good works, then God will bless you. If you abstain from sin and live uprightly at all times then you will qualify. 

If we could attain God's love and blessings through our works why did we need Jesus to die for us? If we can qualify for the blessings of the Lord based on our behavior and actions why do we need to ask in Jesus' name or even pray and believe? 

 When we realize we are already qualified and approved of God then we will lose all sense of the fear of punishment. We will lose all sense of fear and inferiority. We won't allow the enemy or religion to hold our faults and failures over our heads disqualifying ourselves from receiving from our Good Father.

In summation knowing we are prequalified and approved of God means we can come boldly to the throne of Grace and freely receive all God has procured and provided. It means we no longer need to feel like our misdeeds automatically disqualify us from receiving. It means we will be bolder in His presence and rejoice in His Finished work and celebrate perfect redemption. 

 

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay 

Does God desire to bless and prosper us in this life?

And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus Philippians 4:19 MOUNCE

Dear friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and are in good health, just as your whole life is going well. 3 John 2 CSB

 God is a Good Father. God is a loving Father. God is a Father who cares about us. He loved us so much that He gave us His Son to procure our perfect once for all Redemption. 

 This perfect Love bestowed upon us reveals to us we have a heavenly Father. In light of this perfect love, the question then can be asked, does this love have an effect on the life that now is or just the one to come? Does God's love mean we can expect actual tangible blessings in this life?

 There are two extreme responses on this topic. The "prosperity gospel" extreme is one response. I wrote a whole article expounding this viewpoint. The prosperity gospel is in essence a karma-like view of life. Its end goal is extracting money from people to give to an organization or a person. Its claim is God tells us we can all be millionaires if we just give enough and live perfectly. This is not the Gospel.

 The other extreme view is that God is the cruel taskmaster and tyrannical despot in Heaven who puts sickness and suffering and poverty on people, especially His own children. Many churches and ministries teach this view. I have observed that some of the loudest proponents of this view are Calvinists.

 One thing about this view that is astounding to me is the utter hypocrisy of the loudest voices on this topic. One such minister has held a whole seminar against believers who believe in the Gifts of the Spirit for today. This minister speaks strongly against prosperity.

 Yet in all his railings against the idea that God prospers His people, he seems oblivious to his own net worth of $15 million and ownership of more than one home. I researched two other loud voices against prosperity and saw their net worth is above $500,000. It seems the rule of thumb for some is prosperity for me, but not for thee.

 We need to stick with the Word of God and stay centered on what He actually said and put our trust, hope, and Faith in that. We need to find out what God actually said and hold fast to that. We must avoid the religious traditions of man who paint the Father as harsh and uncaring. 

 So based upon the nature and character of God revealed in and through Christ Jesus, and the final authority of the Word of God the answer to the question I presented is yes. God does desire to bless and prosper and provide for His children in this life. Grace supplies, Love gives and Faith takes.

 He who did not spare · his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us · all things? Romans 8:32 MOUNCE

 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Romans 8:32 NLT

 If God has given us eternal life, forgiveness forever, Righteousness, and Eternal Security, all things that pertain to spiritual life and all things concerning eternity, why would He hold back on giving all things pertaining to life in the here and now? If He gave us the best, His Son, He will surely give us the rest. There is nothing God is withholding from His children, He is a Good and loving Father.

 You may look at the lack surrounding you and disagree. Just as when it comes to your Righteousness. you don't focus on your many failures or foul-ups. You focus on what Jesus accomplished and receive your Righteousness. So it is with provision. Look at what Grace supplies and make that your focus. 

 Focusing on Jesus brings unearned favor and wisdom and provision. He is for us and not against us. We need to really examine our thinking, our beliefs, and our understanding when it comes to blessings and provision and the Goodness of God.

 What do we as Christians truly believe our Father is like? Do we really believe He is a Good Father? It seems we can believe He can save our spirits and grant us assurance Heaven is our home but for everything else, it's either up to our performance, or we can have no assurance or confidence in Him intervening or answering prayers because He is uninterested in the needs/desires of this life.

 Think of it, God promised to Israel, under a covenant that is lesser than the New that He would prosper and heal and provide for them because He loved them and they kept His commandments. He declared He had pleasure in the prosperity of His servants. How much more would He have in His own children prospering?

 What so many are really saying is God's love will only provide salvation from sin and Hell. His Love doesn't cover, provide for, or give promise to any form of wholeness this side of Heaven. He is a God who only cares about you keeping the rules and going to Heaven. He is not interested in your bills being paid, savings, having shelter, clothing, sustenance, healthy bodies, access to transportation, protection from the elements and peace of mind.

 Just what kind of a God is our Father in Heaven? Does He withold provision and blessings to better us? Would He rather see us starving and suffering than blessed and overflowing? What kind of God did Jesus demonstrate?

 Jesus fed literal thousands. He didn't first ask the multitude if they kept all the commandments. He didn't first ask if they had any hidden resentment, bitterness, or unforgiveness. He didn't first ask them if they had sin in their lives, or if they needed to repent. He just loved them and provided for them.

 He provided for Peter's tax debt by means of a miracle. He found the money in the mouth of a fish. The first miracle of Jesus was a miracle of provision. This provision was merely a want not a neccessity or need. The wedding feast simply ran out wine. Jesus turned water to wine and satisfied the desire for more wine at a feast. No one turned to God because of this. He just met a physical want.

 Jesus supplied both needs and wants. He revealed a Good Father who cares for us. He demonstrated to a lost and hopeless world, a Father who so loves them He even takes care of the little things as well as major things in this life.

 In summation, we can boldly proclaim God our Father is a Good Father. He wants our absolute best. He desires to bless and provide for us. Not because we are good, or earned it, or achieved it, but simply because He loves us. We can trust in the Lord no matter the situations and circumstance. He is a Good Father and Loving Savior. 

 

Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay 

Does God crush His children? (How Good is God?)

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Psalm 34:8 NKJV 

 This website is dedicated to proclaiming the unabridged Gospel of Grace and the uncompromising truth of God's Goodness at all times. That in all times and in all situations God is Good.

  When we speak of God's Grace, the understood premise is the knowledge of the true nature and character of God. God had to first make clear His true nature and character before revealing the Gospel is the Grace of God revealed in Christ. That's why Jesus went about doing Good and healing all when He walked upon the earth, perfectly demonstrating the Father's all the time Goodness to all.

 With this understanding, it seems good to tackle yet another religious tradition of man. Now before we go further, let me answer why it is so important to dismantle and destroy these religious traditions. We live in a fallen world and people are lost without Christ. How can fallen men reach out a trusting hand to God if they are told God is in fact the one responsible for their misery? 

 If God is ordaining their destruction how then can they trust Him for salvation? If God is so angry at them, how could they even dare approach Him? The proclamation of the Gospel suffers when religion paints a portrait of God on the canvas of men's minds as that of an angry tyrant sending plagues and pestilences and punishments upon them.

Is God crushing His children?

I recently came across a video that made my heart "sink." In this video clip, a "minister",  a rather well-known "minister" made the stunning statement;

"oh by the way if God would crush and kill His perfect, spotless, sinless Son, who do you think you are?" 

 Now of all the things we can say about God, is this something Jesus would have spoken concerning His Father? With such a shocking charge lodged against my Father in Heaven, I did a little search concerning this insidious religious concept and found other ministers also making these same accusations about the Father;

 "Sometimes He crushes you because He’s going to bless you so much he doesn’t want you to get arrogant. He wants to humble you."

"God knows exactly where to crush you to bring you to the place you need to be."

 Some even teach the notion just like a rose is crushed to make perfume God will also crush us to create a sweet-smelling aroma. These are the strongholds in the mind of the religious Christian. We must topple these sacred cows with the Scriptures so we can set the captives free.

  The only time we see the Father "crushing" someone is in the substitutionary aspect of the redemptive work of Christ. Isaiah 53 speaks of this. This was God's love in action. That is God the Father put the judgment for all the sin of mankind upon the body of His Son so that you and I would never experience judgment. 

 We must boldly declare that God is a Good Father. That He is not the one "crushing" people. He isn't the author of anguish, affliction, agony, misery, and heartbreak. The Father is the author of life, wholeness, and peace. The Father takes pleasure in the prosperity of His people. God is for you and not against you. This is all because He loves you eternally and unconditionally.

 What does the Word declare about our Father?

 8 The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. 9 The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. Psalm 145:8-9 KJV

                                                                           

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, 4  who redeems your life from the pit who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:1-5 MEV

  (for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them. Deuteronomy 4:31 MEV

13 No one who is tempted should ever be confused and say that God is testing him. The One who created us is free from evil and can’t be tempted, so He doesn’t tempt anyone James 1:13 Voice

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 NLT

 

 The Word is clear. God is a Good God and not the author of evil. God is not crushing you, no matter what circumstances you may be facing. You can come to God trusting Him to help you through the tough times because you know He isn't the author of it. 

 God is for you not against you. The Father isn't orchestrating evil situations, calamities, catastrophes, or cataclysmic events to crush you to better you. He gave us His Spirit within to lead us and guide us. He gave us His Word to lighten our path and to instruct us. 

 In summation, lose the religious traditions and embrace Grace. Cling fast to the truth of the Word and not man's traditions. God loves you and is for you. Hold fast to His Goodness.

Images courtesy of iosphere at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Dare to take your place

 

I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and authority over all the power of the enemy; nothing may hurt you at all. Luke 10:19 Mounce 

 We've been in a brief study taking a closer look at the believer's authority. This is a deep, yet simple, study of who we are, what we have, and what we can do in and through Jesus and His triumphant Finished Work. Everything we are is all because of Jesus.

 When it comes to identity, so often believers only identify as  Christians. That is, simply one who has put their trust in Christ alone. While this is vital, there is so much more to the Christian experience.

 I am not referring to any new demands or prerequisites to being saved or staying saved or in right standing with God. I am speaking of our life once we are in Christ. Our identity is not just Christian, but also the beloved, a child of God, the Righteous, the victorious overcoming blood-bought redeemed. 

 We are also made kings and priests. It's time we dared to take our place and reign in this life. It's time we take our place identifying with the victory Christ won and walk in the position of dominion and authority that's been bestowed upon us by virtue of the new creation, and the Gift of Righteousness.

 Let's look again at how we can reign in this life because of His love;

5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:5 NLT

 Our hearts are filled with His love. We can rule and reign over loneliness, depression, and feelings of isolation. We can rest in this overwhelming love for us that is cascading from the Father's heart into ours. 

 The Word declared Faith works by love. For so long many taught that this passage meant your Faith only worked successfully when you loved others and weren't in strife and division with them. Is this right?

 While it is good and right to walk in love with others that's not the lesson Paul is conveying here. He is giving us a secret to reigning. Faith works when we know how much God loves us. Faith is a Law and it always works regardless if we are walking in love or not. This passage is revealing just how powerful knowing our Father's love for us is. Faith is having a good opinion of God, so Faith works by knowing His love.

 We can rule and reign because of the Love of God that has filled our hearts to overflow. Whenever challenges arise, we can face them boldly knowing because our Father loves us He will see us through them and deliver us and bring us a complete victory.

 We can rule and reign in this life because we are the children of God. We can dare to take our place as sons and daughters of God. The king's son is always welcome at his table. He doesn't need permission to sit with his father. So it is with you and me child of God. We need to take our place at our Father's table and freely receive all He has purchased and provided for us through Jesus.

 Because we are the children of God by Faith, we are also partakers of the divine nature. As new creations, we have the very life and nature of God Almighty within us in the person of the Holy Spirit. We are His kids, and this answers the mystery as to what Jesus meant in John 10. 

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? 35 If He called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken, 36 do you say of Him, whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? John 10:34-36 MEV 

 Did Jesus just endorse strange new age philosophies/messageless Mormonism here by saying you are gods? No, He was quoting Psalm 82. There is where we find the answer to this comment.

 I said, “You are gods, And all of you are children of the Most High. Psalm 82:6 NKJV

 The principle found in this passage is not that humans are somehow going to become God. What it reveals is that as children of God, we have been given a position of dominion and authority. This position is not a position of deity, but a position of authority.  God is telling us to take our place and exercise this dominion in a corrupted, fallen world.

 When God made man, He gave him a vertical and horizontal relationship. Man first had a trust relationship with God (vertical) and then man had a dominion relationship with the earth (horizontal). Man turned this dominion over to the enemy, but Jesus took the authority back and turned it over to His Church when He defeated death, Hell, and the grave. It's time we took our place.

 The word gods here is referring to a magistrate's position. As the children of God we are now "gods", that is we as God's children have a position of dominion and authority. We can judge righteously concerning who we are and we can take a stand against the lies of the enemy. Don't just blame God's sovereignty as to why things are the way they are, take your place as a magistrate and judge righteously.

 Take your place and judge God's Word to always be true. Judge righteously that you are forgiven and not condemned. Judge righteously that Jesus bore your sickness and disease and command your healing to manifest. Judge righteously that the enemy is defeated, God is the Almighty and Jesus is Lord in your life. 

 The Church has a position of dominion and authority on earth. We can speak against the curse and take authority over the work of the enemy, and the fallen creation. We can pray for lost minds to be opened to see the light of the Gospel. We can even pray and take authority over weather conditions, crisis situations, and afflictions and intercede for the safety and protection, and preservation of people and places, and things. 

 As for John 10, Jesus was simply telling religious ones because the children of God were called gods, why is he blaspheming for claiming His true identity as the Son of God. In this passage, Jesus affirmed our authority as sons and daughters. We have all of heaven's backing, let's dare to take our place.

  3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place 4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? 5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. 6 You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority—7 the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, 8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. 9 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Psalm 8:3-9 NLT  

   In summation, we have authority in Christ. We have restored dominion. It's time we walked in it and stop believing we are victims of circumstances, pawns in God's sovereignty (the twisted religious idea of sovereignty), helpless and defenseless in a fallen world, easy prey for the curse, or the work of the enemy. Dare to take your place!

  

Image by TitusStaunton from Pixabay 

Grace Life: Loved and Forgiven

4 John, To the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:4-6 MEV

 As Christians, those who've trusted in Christ alone, who've believed in Jesus and received His free gift of salvation, how do we live our lives? Are we to live our lives in the same manner as we did before Christ? Are there any differences or distinctions in how we live now that we are in Christ?

 I am not speaking so much about no longer cussing or engaging in other sins without remorse or care as I am about how we think and believe. I am speaking about our outlook on life. How do we now see God? How do we see ourselves?

 When we heard the Good News Gospel of Jesus and His Grace and freely received Him, something happened inwardly. Yes we received the New Birth, yes we partook of His Redemptive work, and yes we became children of God and joint heirs with Christ. What also happened is we received a new way of thinking and seeing. 

 This is the Grace of God working in our lives. The text I chose reveals this progression of Grace working in our life. First, He loved us;

 ...To Him who loved us...Revelation 1:5b MEV

 Secondly, He forgave us of all our sins;

and washed us from our sins in His own blood Revelation 1:5b MEV

 Lastly, He made us Kings and Priests;

 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father Revelation 1:6a MEV

 This is how God's Grace worked in our lives. He first loved us and then He forgave us and made us Kings and Priests. This is such a powerful truth. In light of this truth, we are beginning a new study focusing on these works of Grace in our life.

 In Christ, we have a new way of living. Our thinking and speaking change because of the Grace of God we have received. We now walk by Faith, not by sight. Life's circumstances and lies of the enemy are not what moves us but only what God has promised provided and purchased for us in the Finished Work. 

 We now walk in Love. We walk in the Love God has poured out upon us. We walk in His Love living life loved by the Shepherd and Savior. This supply of love cascading from Heaven unto us overflows so we can now love others.

 We now abide in and live under Grace. We aren't under man's tradition or religious rules and regulations. We are no longer under the Old Covenant Law. We live under Grace and not works. We rest in Jesus' work and not our own.

 We have confident hope and Faith because we know God loves us eternally and unconditionally. His Love is eternal and unchanging. He is for us and never against us.

 We also have peace with God knowing that all our sins have been cleansed and washed away. Our sins weren't merely covered but actually cleansed. When something is cleansed and washed away there exists no trace or evidence of it ever again. 

 The believer's sins are completely cleansed and washed away. we are forgiven of all our sins. All means all. All our past and present and future sins are forever forgiven. 

 For those who've been hearing the Grace Gospel for some time, this seems elementary. However, this is such a vital truth and some believers reject the notion all sins are forgiven. They feel they must do something to gain forgiveness for the sins they commit after they received Jesus as their Savior.

 The forgiveness of sins is the Gospel that the Apostles proclaimed in the Book of Acts. When Peter preached to the Gentiles, he spoke of the forgiveness of sins. What was the immediate result? The Holy Spirit fell in His fullness and Cornielus' house was saved and Baptized in the Spirit evidenced by praying in the Holy Ghost. 

 Grace works a mighty work in our lives. He loves us and forgives us of all our sins. What happens to believers who become fully aware of this work? Their thinking changes, and their perception changes. 

 Believers who know they are Loved by the Savior unconditionally and know they are forgiven are infused with a confident boldness. They see God as always for them and never working against them. They quickly recognize God as their Father and not the harsh taskmaster. They experience victory in life no matter the circumstances.

 This leads us to the third work of Grace in our lives. These recipients of His Love and forever forgiveness are then made Kings and priests. This is an important work of Grace concerning our position in Christ, who we are in Christ, and what He made us.

 When we know we are loved and forgiven we can walk in the fullness of Grace in our everyday life. We can then own our identity in Christ. We can walk in the power and authority He procured for us. He made us kings and priests. 

 We are going to study further our authority in Christ. In order to do this we first had to establish how loved we are and how forgiven we are. We must not allow the tradition and religious ideas of men to hinder our understanding of what we have in Christ. 

 In summation, Grace works a mighty work in our life. Grace first loved us eternally. Grace then forgave us of all our sins. There isn't any sin consciousness because we are forever forgiven and cleansed from them for all time. In Christ we can rejoice in this work of Grace in our lives, we are Loved and forgiven! 

 

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay 

Grace Reveals: A Father who is always pleased with His children

“Now, brothers, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified. Acts 20:32 MEV

 God's Grace is so amazing and sometimes too wonderful to even put into words. Grace reveals so much about our Father God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. Traditional religion teaches that God is harsh and unbending and austere and demanding we get it together or else. 

 Grace reveals a Father who always loves us. Grace reveals a Savior greater than any and all our sins. Grace reveals a Righteousness by Faith that is ours in Christ. As much as Grace reveals the nature and character of God and His Gift of Righteousness it also reveals our new identity in Christ. 

 Today, I want to unveil another truth Grace reveals. Grace reveals a Father who is always pleased with His children. Beloved being a child of God is part of our true identity in Christ. We are not just a follower of Jesus. We are not just a believer in Jesus. We are also the children of God. We are sons and daughters of the Living God!

 We are children of God only by Faith in Christ Jesus. Trusting in Christ alone is what makes this a reality for any person. We are not made the children of God by any works or performance on our part. If our actions, our performance, our good works, and our promises to God, didn't make us a child of God, then no amount of bad deeds, or works, or actions on our part can cause us to be unadopted or cease being a child of God. 

 Brethren, our Father loves us with an everlasting Love. Our Savior Jesus is so much greater than all our sins. The Gift of Righteousness is a permanent irrevocable gift. Therefore Grace also reveals that God is always pleased with us. God is never disappointed in us. Father God in Heaven is not up there with arms folded in disappointing disapproval when we err, miss it, blow it, and just plain sin. 

 Think for a moment. Does God want us to run to Him when we miss it or does He want us to run and hide from Him? Well if He is disappointed with us, or displeased with us, why would we run to Him? Anyone with any sense would steer clear and become scarce from His presence until time passed, He cooled down, and we perhaps brought some kind of peace offering to appease Him. 

 Yet religious tradition, with its inconsistent thinking patterns, preach the concept that God is in fact displeased with you when you do wrong or miss it. That He desires to rebuke you for your misdeeds and sins. That He is so displeased and disappointed in you that He won't even hear you when you pray unless you're confessing and apologizing for your foul-ups.

 It's really no wonder that in the circles where Grace is not given preeminence but our performance is, the people there really don't fully draw near to God for themselves. They usually ask the minister to pray for their “big” needs. They usually won't go to God for themselves in some situations. God might still be displeased with them for something they've done.

 Religion shows God as someone who is pleased and happy with us when we are doing good and fulfilling all the spiritual disciplines and obligations. If we do bad we’ve let God down and He is unhappy and displeased with us. He also withholds blessings and healing and miracles and provision until we get it right.

 This is not the God Jesus revealed to us. Jesus is the person of Grace. Peter denied Jesus three times. Yet we never see Jesus confront Peter and tell him how displeased He was by his lack of faithfulness. Look at how God used an Angel to reveal His thoughts about Peter at Jesus' resurrection. 

 God knew Peter didn't much feel like or see himself as one of Jesus' disciples. Yet He specifically named him as one of His own. God wasn't displeased with Peter. The Good News is God is not displeased with us when we screw up and fail either.

 Harboring bitterness, being angry with fellow drivers in traffic, not forgiving others, drunkenness, and sexual immorality in all its forms, are all actions that are indeed sinful. Am I saying these are good things? Have some sense, any reasonably minded believer knows these are actions we aren't proud of and know they are wrong. God isn't honored by any sinful actions. Again that's why we have a Savior greater than our sins.

 In summation, know and rejoice that God is always pleased with us. Know God takes pleasure in His sons and daughters always. You and I are the son and daughter with whom He is well pleased!

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Grace Reveals: A Father who Loves us

“Now, brothers, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified. Acts 20:32 MEV

 The revealing of God's Grace to a lost and dying world is a resuscitating force of life, hope, and love. This Grace of God pledged and demonstrated in and through Jesus, who is the person of Grace, is the Good News we've all longed for. It's what we've all been searching for.

 The longer one lives, it should be evident that fulfilling fleshly desires, following philosophies, embracing various religions of man, or accepting atheism, are all futile, pointless, and profitless in the long term. Life, joy, and peace are only realized through a relationship with Jesus Christ. This is why God in His wisdom has revealed His Grace to all mankind.

 Those who've accepted Jesus also need a greater understanding of this Grace of God revealed in Christ. God keeps revealing His Grace to us as we grow in Christ. Peter even exhorted us to continue growing in Grace. 

 With this in mind, I want to begin a new series looking at what Grace has revealed to us in Christ. The first thing His Grace reveals is the great Love of our Father God. God our Father is a kind, compassionate and Faithful Father. His Love for us is a furious and passionate flame that will never fade or be extinguished.

 So many Christians though see God as the harsh taskmaster. They see God as the performance-driven master who places a burdensome workload on His people. He isn't a Father looking for sons and daughters, He is a tyrant looking for dutiful servants and is quick to disown, disavow, and disinherit those who don't measure up. 

 The Christian life then is one of hardships and toil and duty. It becomes a life of striving to earn our place in the master's presence and to be able to receive from Him. Our daily life is one of a checklist to perform and chores to complete. Sadly, this way of living leads to so many thinking, believing, and seeing themselves as never measuring up. 

 This isn't the life the Father intended when He sent us His Son. The Father saw us in our darkness, in our sins, in our spiritually dead, separated, state, and did something about it. He made salvation, new life, and forgiveness available to whosoever would simply respond in Faith believing, and receiving. 

 We have some amazing examples of the Father's Love in the Word. Look at Luke 15, (actually, the whole chapter is a revealing portrait of His Love and purpose realized in Christ), the parable of the prodigal son shows us a loving Father, not a harsh taskmaster. The Father didn't berate or disown his son, he waited for him and ran to him and brought restoration.

 Our Father is a Good Father. Just as in the parable of the prodigal son, our Father picks up His robe, and runs after us, He is the Father who Loves His Children. He is the Father who pursues us with His Love and mercy and goodness. He is the Father who longs for fellowship, friendship, and intimacy with His family, His children. 

 Our Father isn't making a list and checking it twice of all our failures, foul-ups, and flaws. He isn't holding our sins against us or charging or imputing them to our account. He isn't basing His Love for us on whether or not we've been naughty or nice. His Love is who He is, and why He sent Jesus for us.

 Grace reveals to us a loving Father who is for us and never against us. He isn't a tyrant or taskmaster. He isn't placing burdensome demands upon us. He isn't pointing His finger at us declaring you better straighten up or you're going to get it! His arms aren't folded in disappointment with us but rather they are open wide revealing His Love and acceptance and approval of us because of Jesus' once for all sacrifice. 

 In summation, rest in the love of a loving Savior. Grace reveals the Love of the Father for us. This is a love we don't have to strive for. It's a love we can freely receive all because of Grace. Let's freely receive His great Love today and every day. 

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Living in Sin?

 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 NLT

 1 What, then, shall we say? shall we continue in the sin that the grace may abound? 2 let it not be! we who died to the sin -- how shall we still live in it? Romans 6:1-2 YLT

 Much of Christian theology and doctrine are realized and lived out practically based on mere human understanding and man-made traditions rather than God's Word alone. More plainly stated, much of what Christians actually believe and practice in their day-to-day lives is rooted in what they heard someone or some minister say. Often it's not actually rooted in the Word of God.

 Some of these Ideas and suggestions and concepts includes thoughts like all who commit suicide will surely go to Hell, if you get divorced you can never remarry, or God loves you but sometimes is displeased and disappointed with you. Or perhaps one of the biggest thoughts conveyed, if you sin too much God won't forgive you. Where are these concepts specifically addressed and stated this exact way in the Bible, God's Word? 

 I will help you, they are not in the Word. Christian believers and ministers alike infer, assume, and reason certain things to be true based on a flawed, traditional, and veiled view of Father God. Often, believers assign their own attitudes and reactions, and conclusions to God. Allow me to elaborate. 

 Christians many times knowing how we might personally react or respond to a certain situation unconsciously assign that same attitude to our Father God. We then form and fashion a theology of Father God based on this and not the character of God we see clearly demonstrated in the Word. In general, we wouldn't continue fellowshipping with someone who fails us, wouldn't forgive someone if they continued in the same action repeatedly, and would judge someone swiftly if they continue wronging us, thus we conclude God is the same as us.

 Understanding this, I want to examine a concept in the Church I have heard expressed throughout my Christian life. This concept transcends all denominations and ministries I was ever involved in. This concept and idea of living in sin.

 What is living in sin? The response to this in the average believer's mind is a person who is actively committing adultery, someone living with someone they are not married to, someone who has a drinking problem, or a homosexual. Is this what living in sin means?

 I submit to you that this is not the actual meaning of living in sin. I certainly concur based upon the writings of Paul the Apostle of Grace, that adultery, fornication, alcoholism, and homosexuality are indeed sinful actions. However, that is not what it means to live in sin.

 When we consult the manual, the Basics Instructions Before Leaving Earth, the Bible, God's Word, the phrase living in sin is not found anywhere. When we need the truth revealed it's essential we check the Word. We desire God to instruct us not man or experience.

 In our text, we see Paul instruct us not to continue in sin. The word sin is the noun, not the verb. Paul is speaking of position, of identity, not actions. Of course, identity and position affect our actions. 

 Now when it comes to claiming to live in sin is defined by our actions, we see much hypocrisy in the application of this label. What I mean is, we see the man living with a woman he isn't married to and say they are living in sin. Yet we don't look at our lives and see how often we worry. We don't look in the mirror and see the bitterness we still harbor at old bosses, family, and former friends. 

 The Word tells us that which is not of Faith is sin. How often do we label those who fail to walk by Faith as living in sin? Worry is the sin of not trusting God, yet so many Christians are world-champion worriers. Where is their condemnation? 

 Let's allow the Word to be the final authority. Paul was telling us not to continue living in our old identity. We are New Creations in Christ. We are made alive in Christ anew. Dare to take your place as the very Righteousness of God in Christ.

 I believe the reason the concept of living in sin describing our behavior is so popular is that it becomes a means to control believers. The enemy uses it to control our thoughts by throwing flaming darts of condemnation at us. We won't press in to God relationally because we believe He is mad at us. We believe He hasn't forgiven us. 

 Religious tradition controls believers through guilt. Better give and participate in all our programs cause if you don't you'll be living in sin. Your prayers will go unanswered. This is why we must understand Grace and the New Covenant.

 The enemy and religious tradition try to convince believers that answered prayer is rooted in our behavior. Often Healing and wholeness are seen as rewards for good behavior. Don't be misled. Grace is unmerited and unearned favor. Healing, protection, prosperity, deliverance, favor, and abundant life are already ours because of Christ, not our own works. Therefore we can't do more good to earn them, and we can't do anything bad enough to disqualify us from receiving them. 

 As true as it is that our sinful actions are detrimental to ourselves and others, (natural consequences), it doesn't mean we should accept guilt and condemnation. Guilt and condemnation won't motivate us to make better choices. All they do is make us mask our flaws even deeper. 

 In summation, live in Grace. Live in the new identity Christ has made us. Don't walk in guilt and condemnation. Though sinful actions may have natural consequences, know God isn't punishing anyone. Finally, let the Word of God, not tradition be the final authority for truth in our lives. His Grace is greater. 

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Grace, Foolishness, or Legalism: Becoming Established in Grace

 For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) Romans 5:17 AMPC

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ...2 Corinthians 8:9a MEV 

 We have been in an ongoing study examining the practical aspects of the Christian life in light of Grace and the New Covenant. This explorative study comes in the form of a question. Are we living under true Grace or are we embracing foolish pseudo-Grace? Or are we living with a mixture of Grace and Law, or some other form of legalism?     

 Our Father's desire is for us to live victoriously in Christ. To live the abundant life Jesus' triumphant resurrection and Finished Work procured and purchased for us. But this overcoming life is only realized when we fully receive abundant Grace and of the gift of Righteousness. 

 This is why we must become established in the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is also why the enemy is so set against the Church discovering who we are, what we have, and what we can do through Christ. The enemy sows seeds of foolishness and raises up religious traditions to pervert the Grace of God. This is why we must contend for the Faith and not allow the enemy any footing. 

 In concluding this study, it seems good to look at the other practical everyday aspects of the Faith. Things like giving, soul-winning, and daily Bible reading. Again we want to examine them in light of Grace so we can become more and more established in Grace. 

Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace... Hebrews 13:9a

What about a prayer life under Grace? What about a daily devotional time set apart with God? Is this somehow legalistic or a performance-driven activity that we need to be free from?

 The foolish pseudo-grace thinking may claim it is. This is of course would be erroneous thinking. What is legalistic or performance-driven to spend time in fellowship with the One who loves us with everlasting love? That may be the root of the opposition, if devotional time or prayer time hasn't been joy-filled or fulfilling one could understand why someone wouldn't be interested in continuing it. 

 Time spent in prayer, reading and studying the Bible, God's Word, and meditating on His promise and provision, and goodness is not legalistic. It is connecting with our Savior intimately. It's not a work or a chore or a duty to fulfill. It's actually a receiving time. It's a time where God pours even more of His Love and mercy and Grace out upon all areas of lives. It's a time that heals our wounded hearts and brings stability to our emotions and calms our fears and anxiety. It's Facetime with our Father and He's always glad we came.

 Legalism tries to make daily devotionals a duty to perform. They say God is upset if we miss our time with God. That if we don't have time for Him, He won't make time for us nor hear us when we call upon Him. This is wrong thinking because it turns intimacy into an obligation and forced fellowship. 

 Spending time with our Father is part of life under Grace. Don't allow the foolish to abolish this out of your life. Don't allow the legalist to pervert it and turn it into some chore. 

 What about giving? Should those under Grace continue giving to the local church and missions? Of course. God so loved the world He gave...love gives. We are loved unconditionally by God. That Love received, compels us to be a blessing so others can also hear the Good News. This isn't legalism or trying to earn anything from God. This is a gracious and loving response to a loving God who wants to win the lost and use us as a channel of blessings.  

 Speaking of the lost, under Grace should we still try to win the lost to Christ? Of course. Knowing how Good our Father is, is a great motivator in witnessing to the lost. Contrary to the foolish, not all humanity is saved and made Righteous. The lost are still lost and need to receive this wonderful gift of Grace. 

 Winning the lost to Christ doesn't mean God loves you more. It's just taking part in Christ's ministry to a lost world. It's sharing His Grace with all. What about our manner of life under Grace? 

 Though legalism has taken this out of balance and turned holy living into a harsh message doesn't mean there isn't a true Grace-filled life that honors Christ. Foolishness says our behavior doesn't matter. Legalism says our behavior is our savior. Both are equally wrong. Our thinking, our speaking, and our actions will bring honor to Christ when we become more and more established in our true identity as the Righteousness of God in Christ.

 Grace received produces an empowerment. Grace gives us new desires. Paul gives us some insight in his Epistles. Watching what we "feed" upon is a key to cultivating the Godly desires Grace has deposited within. 

 It's just like junk food. Under Grace and the following the Spirit, we can limit how much of this world we allow in our thinking. Think of it, if we stuffed ourselves on stuff crust pizza all the time we wouldn't be as healthy as we could be. It's the power of right believing that produces a life that honors God.

 In summation, renewing the mind, daily devotionals, prayer time, witnessing to the lost, giving, and belonging to a local church or fellowship, (though I didn't touch on it here I have in previous articles), are not legalistic. It is foolishness to omit these from our life simply because we have now seen the truth of Grace. Grace found us, saved us, made us Righteous, and approved of God. 

 Let's live our lives in triumphant victory. Victory over all the schemes of the enemy. Victory over fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Victory over condemnation and a sense of unworthiness. Let's boldly reach out and receive all God has procured for us in Christ. Salvation, soundness, wholeness, preservation, and prosperity are ours because of His Grace. Embrace true Grace and walk in victory. 

   

 

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Grace, Foolishness, or Legalism: Too much Goodness?

For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) Romans 5:17 AMPC

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ...2 Corinthians 8:9a MEV 

 We've been in an ongoing series looking at the life lived abiding under the Grace of our Lord Jesus. We are examining practical aspects of the Christian life. This examination comes in the form of a question. Are we abiding under Jesus' Grace, or foolishness (pseudo grace), or legalism (man's traditions and attempts to earn favor and love)?

 Recently, many churches and ministries have been sounding the alarm concerning ear-tickling, positive, feel-good messaging. The concern is that the Gospel is being too diluted and made too appealing to the lost. This begs the question, does the Gospel of the Grace we proclaim have too much goodness?

 The Gospel is the Good News of the Grace of God pledged in the life, substitutionary death, and triumphant resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The old gospel hymn perfectly sums up the message of Grace. Living He loved me, dying He saved me, buried He carried all my sins far away, (forgiven forever). Rising He justified ( made those who believe Righteous), freed me forever, one day He is coming back, what a glorious day! 

 Some warn that the message some proclaim is ear-tickling. It makes light of sin and has no conviction. It doesn't proclaim to sinners how wicked and evil their sin is. It doesn't tell them about eternity in Hell. It doesn't command that they repent, turn around and cease their wickedness. 

 I recently read about one of those ear-tickling, "fluff", feel-good, happy preachers. This minister was speaking with a woman whose theology first and foremost was clearly unbiblical. She also had been divorced five times. She was currently living with a man she wasn't even married to. They were living in open sin and rebellion against God's clear command of purity before marriage. 

So did this "preacher" correct her? Did he show her sinful she was, and had broken and violated God's commandments? Did he open the Scripture and line by line reveal to her how sex outside of marriage was clearly sinful and rebellious?

This divorcee and open fornicator, shacking up with a man never even got one word of "conviction" and telling her about Hell, and the need to repent of her sins. All this "preacher" did offer her was eternal life. This feel-good, ear-tickling, happy, preacher is named Jesus Christ. Be sure to watch out for Him and His happy message. Too much Grace is obviously dangerous. We need to make the sinner uncomfortable and show them how wicked and dirty and unacceptable they are before God. 

 This is the account of Jesus and the woman at the well from John 4.  This is a powerful illustration of the Gospel proclamation. Yes her theology was clearly incorrect, Jesus affirmed that. Yes, she was living in sin, Jesus revealed that. Yet in all this, she never felt condemned, she never felt worthless, she never felt unworthy and unwelcome. 

 Grace reveals the truth in love without compromise, but it's not a harsh, condemning proclamation. Grace magnifies what Christ has done, not what our sin has done. The Gospel is the proclamation of the answer to the problem, the antidote for the ailment, the light that reveals the way out of the darkness. It's the heralding of the Good News that God has reconciled lost sinful man. It's the glad news that God isn't mad at you, He is mad about you!

 I trust you're tracking with me that it's the legalist that is sounding alarm bells about a feel-good gospel. The legalist feels that if the lost aren't made to feel unworthy and wretched they won't really be saved even if they do respond to an invitation to trust in Christ. They magnify sin and guilt and minor on God's Love in their messaging.

 When I was a young boy, I remember being raised in church. I heard the gospel regularly, that is the basic message that Jesus came, died and rose again, and is coming back. I simply believed that. I never believed we came from monkeys or evolved by accident. Yes, as I got older I rebelled and sinned. I still believed though, and as I got old enough to fully understand, God revealed to me all are guilty before God that's why Jesus' work was so needed, and why it was so powerful in its working and accomplishment. 

 In all this, I never once felt condemned, unworthy or unwelcome. Legalists can't seem to grasp that we as individuals grow in our understanding of the Gospel and all that Jesus did for us. This includes progressive changing in actions and thinking. We don't need pointed fingers and wagging tongues of condemnation to guide us.

 The Gospel is Good News. It is not a message of shame and guilt. It is not a message of hellfire and wrath and an angry God who wants to punish all. Grace simply reveals the Good News of the Father's Love expressed by the Lord Jesus Christ. Trust in Him alone and receive New Life. Receive His free gift and pass from eternal death to eternal life. 

 The error of the foolish is they, once having been freed from religion, set their eyes again upon the stones they had relinquished. They again clutch these stones in their hands that used to be hurled at the sinful, and now turn them towards the legalists. They foolishly embrace bitterness at the legalist and began throwing stones at them.

 This isn't the Gospel way. The same Grace we now give the vilest sinner is the same Grace available to the most legalistic among us. Grace is gracious and loving to sinners and saints alike. Remember, the legalist may call us their enemy but that doesn't mean we have to count them as our enemy. 

 In summation, the Gospel is a happy, feel-good, positive, and pleasing to the ear proclamation of glad tidings and hope. Grace proclaims the truth in love. Grace isn't denying the existence of future judgment or an eternal hell for those who callously reject the love of God, it's just that this isn't the message of the Gospel. It isn't what we proclaim to the lost. There is no bad news in the Good News, and the Gospel is Good News. 

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