God’s Gift Of Our Savior

An unexpected present

“Thank you. You shouldn’t have!”

“You didn’t have to do that!!!”

Have you ever said that to someone who gave you an unexpected present?

As humans, we appreciate a surprise gift, but it’s also in our nature to feel a little confused.

Uh oh, was I supposed to get something for him/her?

What’s today’s date again?

Similiarly, it’s hard for people to accept the truth that our salvation, as Bible-believing Christians, is a gift.

“Free,” as in we can’t earn it, even if we try.

We are well-intentioned people, but our good deeds could never equal what Christ did for us on the cross.

There is no comparison.

We are not “little gods” here on earth as atheists (who trust only in themselves) would have you believe.

But, what about that helpful thing I did for my neighbor yesterday?

What about that flat tire I changed for a stranded motorist?

Those are good and admirable things, yes!

Because you are a Christian, you want to and will do good things, but the very act of helping someone is not the hope of your salvation.

The Golden Rule

I’m sure we all remember hearing the adage, “Do unto others…” when we were growing up. There are also a few different rewordings of that proverb, depending on the source.

What does the Bible say?

Matthew 7:12 reveals these words of Jesus from His Sermon on the Mount,

¹²So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. – Matthew 7:12, (ESV).

We are to love and bless others – a reality of our Christianity.

What The Golden Rule Is Not

The Golden Rule, however, is not the foundation of God’s plan of salvation.

What is the foundation?

Not “what,” but Who?

Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior.

We are sinners in need of a Savior.

The gift of our Savior

Mere words cannot adequately describe just how marvelous!

There’s nothing you nor I can do that is worthy of what our Savior did for us.

Despite our unworthiness, our prayers to Him, in His will, reach all the way up to Heaven.

¹⁴And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. – 1 John 5:14, (ESV).

Life’s Purpose

Love Him, pray to Him, thank Him, delight in Him.

And love your neighbors.

Bless them with friendship, kindness, and compassion, and spread the transforming news of the Gospel.

You’ll get some rejections, but don’t ever give up talking about your faith.

Please hit the “share” button below if you think this post will encourage someone.

God bless!

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**Begg, Alistair. “The Great Marvels of Our God.” 26 January 2018. Web Access 29 January 2018. Used with permission. Copyright Truth For Life. Used with Permission.

Our Exceptional God

Does God Hear Me?

October 15, 2015 Gracie

Have you ever asked yourself this question, “Does God hear me?”

Hello God?

This is me.

I have a problem and I could really use your help.

Sound familiar?

God does hear us Perhaps you’ve prayed about something sad going on in your life and there doesn’t seem to be any answers.

You’ve been praying for a long time and yet, nothing changes.

There’s no quick fix. No relief. Nothing.

Where is God? Is He even listening?

We know to trust God, but sometimes, from our human perspective, it appears that He is silent.

As we learn throughout our lives, our desires do not always line up with God’s sovereign will. His Will and providence are always greater, even if we don’t understand it in our grief. Fortunately, a day is coming when we will understand.

Do bad things happen to just me?

If you’ve ever felt that way, first off, you’re not alone.

The Bible tells us that David prayed desperately to God for relief from his adversaries. His pleas are echoed throughout the Psalms.

And not only David. There are many true accounts of Biblical heroes, men and women, who endured personal struggles with courage and perseverance.

Hardships are a given part of our lives until we reach Heaven.

As Christians, what we have in the meantime is the wonderful promise from God that there’s eternal victory for us in Heaven.

How long, Lord?

How long must we suffer, Lord? No one knows for sure, but we do know that Jesus rose from the dead and He’s preparing a place of eternal joy for His children. His Word is His bond and His truth is absolute. We can rest in that assurance.

In the following Bible verse, the apostle Paul addresses Titus, a Greek believer as an encouragement for the evangelism task ahead.

*Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, ²in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began ³and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior – Titus 1:1-3, ESV

We worship God, who never changes through the ages and He never lies.

In the meantime, we also have a community of brothers and sisters in Christ. We don’t have to feel alone.

If you haven’t found a church home yet, I encourage you to find one that is bold in preaching the truth of Scripture, mission-minded, and also a supportive body of believers.

There have been challenges in my own life when I’ve turned to close friends who have prayed with me. I am so thankful and I know whom to call 🙂

Broken, but not defeated

We must quietly wait for the Lord to reveal His purpose in our suffering, whether it’s in this life or when we get to Heaven.

Even if it’s hard, we must remain faithful in the midst of our distress. Grumbling, complaining, and blaming God is not the right response.

I’ve had some friends and family members who have lost their fight with cancer. As devastating as their deaths were, they may never have known at the time how their godly perspective of their suffering was an inspiration to all of us who loved them. There’s also the very real possibility that their witness directed lost friends to Christ.

I mean that with my whole heart.

inner beauty Whether it was during personal visits or even from their posts on Facebook, I saw their joy and anticipation, because these dear people had Jesus in their hearts.

No matter what this dreadful disease took away from them physically, no affliction could ever rob them of their inner beauty and spirit.

A Christian perspective from California

My sister-in-law, Cathie, wanted to share this insight from the Book of Lamentations.

³¹For the Lord will not
    cast off forever,
³²but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion
    according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
³³for he does not afflict from his heart
    or grieve the children of men. – Lamentations 3:31-33

In her own words, here’s why these verses mean so much to Cathie:

“When my sister was in remission from melanoma, I once asked her which Bible verses and hymns sustained her during her horrific season of chemotherapy. The above verse from Lamentations is the one I distinctly recall. At the time I was unfamiliar with this verse; but now it is highlighted in pink in my Bible. My sister suffered assorted afflictions during the fifty-three years of her life. All of them were undeserved; none of them resulted from bad choices or a rebellious life style. Yet, she remained faithful to her Lord until her death.

My sister’s accomplishments set the standards for my own life. Much of who I am today is a result of my desire to be like my sister. I am grateful for the gift of a sister who modeled daily Bible reading, suffered with grace, and pointed me towards the compassion and steadfast love of Christ Jesus.”

Thank you, Cathie.

I rejoice that our loved ones in Christ are now walking with our Savior in Heaven. What a reunion we will all have someday!

joyful reunion