I’ve spent much time over the past few months discussing in my GEMs how I want to do better, how I’m trying to do better and what I can do to be better.  Even though I know I have much room to grow and many things to learn in the future, I am sharing my journey to gain knowledge, give hope and to maybe even encourage a few people along the way.

HOWEVER, make NO mistake God LOVES me and you right where we are – FLAWS AND ALL!

I don’t want anyone to misunderstand my quest to think, speak, act, give, love, forgive and behave as I think God wants me to.  I try to do all of these things because I love God and am SO thankful for the sacrifice that His son, Jesus Christ, made for all of us on the cross over 2000 years ago.

I completely get that there is absolute nothing that I can do as a sinful human being to earn a ticket into heaven and to be worthy of saving from death.  I’m not worthy.  I sin.  And I will never be good enough to deserve the love of the one and only Lord of ALL.

How can I be so sure of God’s love, His gift of grace and of my own salvation?  Here is why…

• “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

 

• “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.”  Romans 6:14

 

• “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” Romans 11:6

 

• “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”  1Corinthians 15:10

 

• “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

 

• “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2Peter 3:9

 

• “Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began….” 2Timothy 1:9

 

• ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

I could go on and on….  The bottom line is that I want to do the will of God because I am thankful, grateful and absolutely shocked that He would want someone with my kind of sinful nature and baggage.

Yes, I mess up frequently.  Yes, I could do a lot better than I do.  Yes, I do have a lifetime of mistakes, mishaps and blunders to get through, but I am NOT traveling this path alone.

I am walking hand-in-hand with the One who loves me and by His grace, saves me.  For this precious gift, I am eternally grateful and will strive to make sure He knows how glad I am that He chose me.

You and I are not alone.  We are sinful.  The good news is that God loves us anyway – RIGHT WHERE WE ARE!!!

Do you accept the gift of God’s Grace?

Some Wisdom for Today:  Proverbs 15:3 – The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.