“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10 NLT)
Does it make sense that some people need a reason to stop and take time out of their day to praise and worship God? Why can’t we praise and worship God just because He is … well … GOD!
There are even some people who think that they can lose their salvation once they have it. There is one truth that will chase away that idea. Whether or not someone can lose salvation depends upon how they got it. If a person believes they are saved by good works, it would naturally follow then that they also believe salvation can be lost by bad works.
But this is not the case. God’s Word is very clear on this point. Titus 3:5 (NLT) says, “He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” How is someone saved? We are saved by grace. We are saved by God’s grace. And if we are saved by grace, then we are then kept by grace. Salvation is not rooted in the worth of man, but in the mercy of God.
God's message to His children is consistent: We've been accepted by Him and belong to Him forever. In this acceptance, we discover a sense of security, adequacy, and love that frees us to live for Him.
At the cross, God revealed how very much He loves us as individuals and as His children. He sent His Son Jesus to die in our place. We deserved death as punishment for our wrongdoing but received a pardon instead. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”(Romans 6:23 KJV)
By becoming our substitute, Christ experienced God's wrath for our sins, and His sacrifice opened the way for our adoption into God's family “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” (Ephesians. 1:5 NLT)
As children of the heavenly Father, we are not only deeply loved but also highly valued. Our worth does not happen because of anything in our character or performance but rather depends solely on our relationship with Jesus. What it cost the Father to save us indicates the worth He has placed on us. He has even made us co-heirs with Christ in heaven. “And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.” (Romans 8:17 NLT)
Our adoption into God's family also gives us security and ability. Our heavenly Father has promised to protect us from the Evil One, give us with spiritual gifts, and provide what we need to carry out His work effectively. The Holy Spirit will equip us with the knowledge, understanding, and divine power we need to serve as His messengers.
The world thinks love and worth are tied to performance, while security rests in material possessions. But God showed His love by sending Christ to die for us. “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8 NLT) In Him, we find value, ability, and peace. Consider whose message we believing—God's or the world's.
Praise God for the work of His Holy Spirit who restores us, for the atoning blood of His Son, and for His calling upon our life.
How can we do anything but worship Almighty God and give thanks for His mercy, love, and grace?
WORSHIP
I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;
the humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt His name together.
(Psalm 34:1-3 NLT)
Hello Again!!
7 years ago
