Tag: Romans 5:8

“An Awesome Love Story”

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I am more in love with Jesus today, and each day that follows, than when I first started out.  Through experiences and growth in this spiritual journey, I have come to recognize the sweetness I have found in my Savior.  The more I have gone through, and the more He has brought me through, the more I appreciate Him for holding my hand every step of the way.

In human relationships, there seems to be more excitement at the beginning of this adventure called love.  We can’t wait to see what happens next or cannot wait for the next visit or phone call.  But as I have come to know my Savior over these years, my excitement in Him builds more and more.  Every day brings new revelations of how awesome His love is for me – and as one who sits back in the sun just to hear the birds sing – I sit in the splendor of His radiant presence and enjoy His love that sings over me.

His awesome love story with us is not like any other.  It is complete yet renewing every day.  As a fountain that never runs dry, it is full, yet it is constantly “pouring” into our lives (Romans 5:5, NKJV), uncontainable and overflowing, giving us more and more of Him each day.  His love is not a one-shot deal.  But it’s our covering, our reliance, our safety blanket, the cradle in which we rest in the comfort and care of the one who loves us best.

The awesomeness of His love story toward us was solidified when He was nailed to the cross.  But can I tell you, it’s so much more than that?  He didn’t stop there but chose every day of our lives to be there for us wherever we go – fully caring, fully involved, and fully in love with each of us.

Why?

Because He has a “steadfast love” for us (Psalm 86:15, ESV).  His love is faithful, present, and enduring.  It is not easily swayed or moved from where we are, no matter how ugly it may appear at times.

When people would have given up on us in those ugly moments, He still moves toward us.

Why does He do that? Because He chooses to.

In most relationships, people come to a mutual understanding of love before they move forward.  Jesus is different.  His love for us was never dependent on what we did or didn’t do (remember those He prayed for while suffering on the cross).  He never waited for us to make the first move or come to some mutual understanding of what this love would be all about.  But in the awesomeness of His love, Jesus moved forward in loving us while we were still “sinners” (Romans 5:8).

He has never waited for us to get it right or come out of those ugly shadows before we were counted worthy of His love. As a matter of fact, He showed us love before we showed signs of loving Him back.  In His passion for us, He always made the first move.  The Bible tells us, “We love him, because he first loved us,” (1 John 4:19).

So, if you are in doubt today about the awesomeness of His love story over you, no matter what voices are telling you, I am here to tell you differently.  You and me are all unequivocally loved by Jesus and there’s nothing we can do about it because He already did it all.  His love is constantly pouring into us, never giving up on us, and has already made the first move toward us.  All we can do is accept His love and sit back and bask in the awesomeness of it.  Now, that’s something to get excited about!

If you haven’t already, give Jesus your heart today and accept what He is already willing to give you.  Find a good Bible-based church and experience His awesome love story up close and personal.  He’s waiting for you.

Text Free Photo: Pixabay/pixel2013

“Even when…”

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I don’t know about you, but I find a certain beauty in “perfection” (and I use that word loosely). What I mean is that when things are where they belong or are functioning as they were designed to, it gives me a sense of satisfaction, a sense of fulfillment when all of the chips fall into their proper place.

But what about when they don’t? When plans don’t go off without a hitch or when a properly cleaned space, that once shone with order becomes an undone mess? How does that make us feel about that job, project, person, or place?

When things are “perfect,” altogether, and nice, without any mess, madness, or flaws, we tend to value those times, moments, and things a little more. But when it comes to people who are less than perfect (hint: that’s all of us), God showed us just how much He values us, and despite our imperfections, He chose to love us perfectly. When we were in our mess of worldly pursuits and fleshly desires, God saw the deepest need of our hearts and souls for a Savior who would heal, reconcile, and deliver people, and He provided the remedy for that need through our Lord Jesus Christ.

There are a lot of things we can do for ourselves, but one thing that is solidly taught in the Bible is that we CANNOT save ourselves. We not only do not have the power, but we don’t possess the capacity for the wisdom, love, understanding, eternity, and everything in between that it takes to not only come up with this plan of salvation but to fully execute it thoroughly, without flaw or failure, from the beginning of time to the very end.

Thankfully, it was God who took the initiative to not only come up with the plan but to implement it fully by His grace to save our souls. And the beauty of the story is, that He didn’t wait for us to get our act together to do it. His love wanted the plan because His love wanted the people. With that, Ephesians tells us, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (2:4,5; emphasis added). 

God had compassion for struggling humanity and refused to leave them tangled in the way of sin without a way out, without a plan for deliverance.  His love would not and could not settle with the very idea of it.  So, when we were at our worst, God was working out His best for us.  Romans 5:8 tells us, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

He didn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up and get perfect to put His plan of love in motion.  That is a sheer impossibility regardless. Further proof of that truth comes from 1 John 4:19 which says, “We love him, because he first loved us.” 

With that, we are told, “Even when we were dead in sins…”  Even when we were torn up from the floor up…  Even when our lives contradicted everything He wanted for us…  Even when we were going nowhere fast…  Even when we were enjoying living lives ensconced by the dark…  God stepped in with His plan of salvation and “commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Ephesians continues to tell us, that God “hath quickened us together with Christ.”  As our Savior was raised from the dead, God in His saving love raised those who believe to a restored life, a brand new life made possible through Jesus Christ.  God’s rich mercy became our lifesaver tossed out in the sea of sin where we were drowning, to bring us to the shores of His redeeming love.  No, we didn’t deserve it, nor could we earn it on our own merit.  God simply put this plan to save mankind from himself and the enemy of our soul into action because He loved us.  Love was His only motivation.  Love steered Him to take the course of action that put His only begotten Son on the cross in our place.  Love and only love was His reason for everything!

Thus, as believers, we readily recognize this is nothing short of a God-sized miracle worked out in our lives.  For it is “by grace ye are saved.”  It doesn’t matter who you are or what your situation, position, circumstance, or status is in life, the only way one can enter into a renewed relationship with God is through the grace and forgiveness offered through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  You cannot earn your way into it.  You cannot work your way into it. You can’t bargain your way there, either.  Only by going through the doors of the plan of His grace can you be saved.

What would happen if today God sat down and took account of all the wrongs we have done?  What would it be like if we stood before Him unable to pay what we owe?  Guess What?  We were there!  We could never pay for it. Jesus knew the predicament that humanity was in.  He knew that man could never get himself out of the debt of sin, so through Him, we obtained freedom from the old life we lived through grace, mercy, and compassion as people who do not deserve it but He loved into it.

We could not fathom how many times our accounts would have gone unpaid had it not been for the blood of Christ. But thank God, He acted in love to save us!  Not just us – but everyone who comes to Him in faith regardless of their background.  It is all a work of grace.  It is all done as the ultimate act of love, even when we didn’t perfectly deserve any of it.

When Jesus encountered the young rich ruler who thought he checked off the list of do’s and don’ts perfectly, the Bible said, “Jesus beholding him loved him…” and then disclosed what the young man needed to do before he walked away sad (Mark 10:21). 

God loves us and as any parent who wants the best for their child, He gave us His best even when…

But His best will only work if you and I will do what we need to do and accept it, accept Jesus.

Today can be your biggest turnaround. Today can be your day of freedom. Today, you can turn your even when into a now, and be saved.

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A Light from Heaven

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Lord, I thank You for the day You shined Your light into my life. Perfection is far from where I was. I, too, was in a fit of rebellion, intent on getting to my Damascus to do what I was pleased to do.  But one day, You interrupted all of that in a good way. You introduced me to Your Son, Jesus. Humbly, I had no choice but to hear that voice that called out to me and fall to the earth in worship and gratefulness that You took the time to step in the pathway progressing to more sin and spoke in me a life brand new.  

Friends, if you are a Christian, then you have been in Saul’s position. While we may not stand guilty of persecuting the Church, we all once stood guilty before grace.  We were all miscreants without the benefit of mercy. Transgressors while ignoring the truth. On our way to being up to no good, we were hell-bound until Jesus stepped in and saved us. 

Romans 5:8 reminds us, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Who we were, does not compare with what He did for us.  But isn’t that the point? Never would we have been able to pay the debt we owed.  Never could we earn our way to heaven.  Only by “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24) are we able to say today that we are saved, born-again believers, washed in the blood of the Lamb, welcomed as a member of His holy family, and given a new life with a new purpose.  

Sometimes, we absolutely need to remember where we came from and how we got here. It is nothing we can take credit for. But thank God for the day a light from heaven shone in my heart, and He saved me. 

“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” Acts 9:3,4

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Welcome!

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Image by Brigitte Ferauge from Pixabay 

Open, dear one.  Open up and receive.  So many of our days are spent pouring out for others.  But, it’s okay to accept goodness in your life when you serve a God who is nothing but good.

If there is a fence built due to hesitation, tear it down.  Let it not lay a siege around your heart and your life.  Our Father is wonderful, and He does wonderful things for His children: “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:11). 

The epistle reminds us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17). 

When God is so good and so willing to give, it is okay to receive from Him.  It’s okay to open the door and welcome God’s goodness and His beautiful gifts into your life.

Yes, into your life.  Don’t let lies and false ideas convince you that somehow you are different.  Somehow you are unworthy.  Somehow you have to remain guarded against this hope because this is not for you.

Yes, this is for you, too.  To Him, you are worth it.  To God, you are loved and are His treasured possession.  And as God does, He loves to bless His own. The Bible tells us to “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Psalm 37:4).

Yes, He freely gave for our salvation (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).  And yes, He gives us His Holy Spirit for our daily living (John 14:26).  But God also gives goodness, desires, and things that put a smile on His children’s faces.

Put your guard down and welcome the goodness of the Father in your life today.

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com articles/lessons/worksheets may not be copied or redistributed without the express written permission of WordforLifeSays.com.  Please see the COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.  Blessings to you.

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While We Were Yet Sinners . . .

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Forgiveness is something none will make it to heaven without.  It doesn’t matter who you are or what one has done in life, from the highest to the lowest, without accepting the life Christ offers through His salvation and forgiveness, we will not make it in.  The Bible records, “If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?  But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared” (Psalm 130:3-4).

Who could stand?  Absolutely no one! (See Romans 3:10). Without His covering and remission of sins, the pathway to heaven will be blocked; access denied!  It doesn’t matter if one’s walk of life is a Pharisee or a prostitute, there is no an individual who is worthy enough to enter the gates of glory without Jesus’ forgiveness.

Question: What would happen if today God sat down and took account of all the wrongs we have done?  What would it be like if we stood before Him unable to pay what we owe?  We were there!  Jesus knew the predicament that humanity was in.  He knew that mankind could never get himself out of the debt of sin, so through Him, we obtain that freedom along with grace, mercy, and compassion as people who don’t deserve it.

The Bible reminds us, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,” (Romans 5:8).  I guarantee if we were to look at ourselves, we could not fathom how many times our accounts would have gone unpaid had it not been for the blood of Christ. But thank God, He acted in love to save us!  Not just us – but everyone who comes to Him in faith regardless of the background of sin.

The price has already been paid.  You are free to turn to Jesus today and accept Him for yourself:

“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” John 3:16.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” John 14:6.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” Romans 6:23.

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” Ephesians 1:7.

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” Colossians 1:14.

“While we were yet sinners,” Jesus fulfilled the requirements the cross demanded on our behalf.  He paid the price we could never pay.  He didn’t wait for us to “get our act together,” for without Him, without the power of His Holy Spirit, we were never able to do this on our own.

So, with the preciousness of His life, He laid it down, so that we can experience what it is like to unload the heavy burden of sin from us and live joyfully in grace knowing how much we are loved by Him.

Adapted from the previous article: Sunday School Lesson – “Saved by Faith” Luke 7:36-50 

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com articles/lessons/worksheets may not be copied or redistributed without the express written permission of WordforLifeSays.com.  Please see the COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.  Blessings to you.

Please Note: Ads below or referenced on this site are prefabricated and mass-produced (of which I currently have no control over) and DO NOT necessarily represent the views and/or beliefs of this site and its admin.

“An Awesome Love Story”

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Photo: Pixabay/pixel2013

I am more in love with Jesus today, and each day that follows, then when I first started out.  Though experiences and growth in this spiritual journey, I have come to recognize the sweetness I have found in my Savior.  The more I have gone through, and the more He has brought me through, the more I appreciate Him for holding my hand every step of the way.

In human relationships, there seems to be more excitement in the beginning of this adventure called love.  We can’t wait to see what happens next or can’t wait for the next visit or phone call.  But, as I have come to know my Savior over these years, my excitement in Him builds more and more.  Every day brings new revelations of how awesome His love is for me – and as one who sits back in the sun just to hear the birds sings – I sit in the splendor of His radiant presence and enjoy His love that sings over me.

His awesome love story with us is not like another.  It is complete yet renewing every day.  As a fountain that never runs dry, it is full, yet it is constantly “pouring” into our lives (Romans 5:5, NKJV), uncontainable and overflowing, giving us more and more of Him each day.  His love is not a one-shot deal.  But, it’s our covering, our reliance, our safety blanket, the cradle in which we rest in the comfort and care of the one who loves us best.

The awesomeness of His love story toward us was solidified when He was nailed to the cross.  But, can I tell you, it’s so much more than that.  He didn’t stop there, but rather chose every day of our lives to be there for us wherever we go – fully caring, fully involved, and fully in love with each one of us.

Why?

Because He has a “steadfast love” for us (Psalm 86:15, ESV).  His love is faithful, present, and enduring.  It is not easily swayed or moved from where we are, no matter how ugly it may appear at times.

When people would have given up on us in those ugly moments, He still moves toward us.

Why does He do that? Because He chooses to.

In most relationships, people come to a mutual understanding of love before they move forward.  Jesus is different.  His love for us was never dependent on what we did or didn’t do (remember those He prayed for while suffering on the cross).  He never waited for us to make the first move or come to some mutual understanding of what this love would be all about.  But, in the awesomeness of His love, Jesus moved forward in loving us while we were still “sinners” (Romans 5:8).

He has never waited for us to get it right or come out of those ugly shadows before we were counted worthy of His love. As a matter of fact, He showed us, love, before we showed signs of loving Him back.  In His passion for us, He always made the first move.  The Bible tells us, “We love him, because he first loved us,” (1 John 4:19).

So, if you are in doubt today about the awesomeness of His love story over you, no matter what voices are telling you, I am here to tell you differently.  You and me, we are all unequivocally loved by Jesus and there’s nothing we can do about it because He already did it all.  His love is constantly pouring into us, never giving up on us, and has already made the first move toward us.  All we can do is accept His love and sit back and bask in the awesomeness of it.  Now, that’s something to get excited about!

If you haven’t already, give Jesus your heart today and accept what He is already willing to give you.  Find a good Bible-based church and experience His awesome love story up close and personal.  He’s waiting for you.