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THE GRACE OF GOD
by Lewis E. Thomas Where would I be today without God's Amazing Grace? I would be just another lost soul out there somewhere in the human race! God's grace covers and hides all my ugly sin! Without His Amazing Grace this poor soul could never win! When I want to do right, somehow I end up doing wrong! Then I kneel, pray, repent, and "hope" my prayer is heard before His Throne! "I have asked Him to forgive me so many times that I am ashamed!" He always points to His bloody Cross where He took away my guilt and blame! What would I do if not for His relentless and awesome Grace? Without it I could not go on "even one more day" in the human race! When I fall and stumble by yielding to the lure of sin. He always "picks me up and dusts me off" and forgives me again and again! His forgiveness is "always there" for me even when I disgrace His Holy name! Oh, If I could just "take back" all those times that I brought my Savior shame! Where would I be today without Jesus and The Cross? I would be just another soul out there somewhere, "adrift" on that "SEA OF THE LOST"! Lewis E Thomas As given by God on 9/8/2015 adrift floating freely without being steered; not anchored; drifting without any particular aim or purpose Spiritually adrift. One of the most dangerous places for a Christian to find themselves is going spiritually adrift. To be at sea without a paddle, no sail, no rut, no engine and no shelter, leaves one vulnerable and at the mercy of the raging sea and unpredictable weather. To be spiritually adrift means to be at a distance from Christ and His body of believers spiritually maybe even physically (Revelation 2:4, Hebrews 10:25). This is not an exhaustive or theological definition, but it hits straight to the point. At times, we can find ourselves feelings alone, and the devil can play on those moments to offer us outlets or false refuge that seems innocent and okay, but maybe youve heard the saying: if you give the devil the driver seat, he will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay. I dont know who said that, but it is a timeless truth that Ive experienced personally, seen repeated in the Bible at the disobedience of many, and often see in the lives of my fellow brothers and sisters. When we go adrift spiritually, we find ourselves asking God, Where are you? We start not to desire to spend time in His Word (Psalm 119:165) and lose peace. We dont seek or anticipate true fellowship with other believers, and we see other believers, who come alongside to help us, as being holier than thou. Any of this sound familiar? During this time, we, more than likely, engage in sin of some type. It seems comforting and harmless. We embrace it and slowly grow numb to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Why is this important to know? Simply this: without the Holy Spirit to lead us, there is not a guide back to the throne of God. Yes, the Word of God is our letter of instructions to live a life pleasing to the Lord. Without the Holy Spirit, however, one cannot understand the spiritual truths of the Scriptures (Acts 8:26-40). Jesus said, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62). If you are spiritually adrift, be encouraged that the Lord, through His Holy Spirit, awaits to welcome you back to safe ground. He is always faithful, even when we are not (2 Timothy 2:11-13). He wont tolerate sin in our lives and has provide the Sacraficial Lamb, Jesus Christ, as payment for the sin of those who will listen to His call and accept His free gift of salvation (Ephesians 2). His Holy Spirit is our witness that we are Gods children (Romans 8:16). Dont drift away from the true fellowship of being a Christian. BE one who loves the Word of God and abides in Christ (John 15:7). Stay encouraged in the Lord, for God is pleased by the faith of His children (Hebrews 11:1-39). ... Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |