Sunday, May 22, 2011

What Has God Done For You

Ok, I do not have enough space here to write all of the things God has done for me. My God is so good. He delivered me from a life of destruction. If it had not been for God, I would probably be dead by now. But God my Father had another plan for me. For those who knew me before 1992, you know what I mean. I tried drinking my life away, partying at every chance. Missing out on the most important years of my children's lives. One marriage after another failed. You name it, I was tagged with it, adulterous, liar, baby killer, drunkard, no good for nothing, sorry excuse of a mother.

BUT PRAISE GOD, then came JESUS into my life. Not just into my knowing who He is, but me having a personal relationship with Him. Me understanding just Who He is, and what He did for me. How many of my drinking buddies would lay their life down for me? How many would take a beating until their flesh is torn away from their bodies? How many would hang on a cross and die for me? I can't think of one.

Pastor talked Sunday about Grace. He was talking about the undeserved, unmerited favor from God. I just told you above how I was living. Did it sound like I deserved this forgiveness, this kind of love, this kind of favor? Does it sound like anyone you know? Pastor has said over and over again, we can only tell you our testimony. I can only tell you what Jesus did for me. How He picked me up and turned me around, how He made me into a new person with a renewed mind. With a love from Him that surpasses all understanding. Would you have loved me back then just as I was, or would you have been one of many of my judges? I had very few Christians who loved me right where I was and prayed for me daily, and I had many many Christian judges who condemned me.

It reminds me of the story of the woman who was brought before Jesus to be condemned and stoned for adultery. BUT THEN! JESUS says simply, "Let him who has no sin, cast the first stone". It is interesting here to note that they were in the temple listening as Jesus was teaching them, when the interruption broke out with the scribes and Pharisees bringing the woman before everyone. Why were they not listening to His teachings? Instead they were out trying to find a way to trip Him up and prove Him to be a false teacher.

John 8 v 2-7....Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act." Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do you say?" This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."......

Isn't that the way of the world still today? Aren't there plenty of those out there still trying to prove Jesus not to be who He says He is? Who GOD says He is. Instead of accepting this free gift of Grace from Him, there are still those who want more evidence. If you are one of those, I challenge you to look at my life and see proof that He is who He says He is. There are many more stories like mine out there, where people have been transformed into new people with the renewing of their minds through the love of JESUS and GOD'S WORD.

Instead of sitting at home calling all Christians hypocrites, try going to church to hear from God, to hear the WORD preached instead of focusing on judging the others there. First we have to open our hearts so that we can hear who Jesus really is through His Father's Word. I thank God everyday for those who were instrumental in praying for me and inviting me to church so that I could get a good understanding of who God really is and just how much He loves me without condemnation, but with forgiveness that I did not do anything to earn or deserve. Not by works was I saved, but by LOVE. By Grace that my LORD would die for me and for you as well.

Hebrews 8 v 12....."For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."....

Romans 8 v 1....There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.....

Ephesians 2 v 8-9....For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.....

Jesus is all about LOVE not condemnation. He wants to love you right where you are without you having to work to prove yourself worthy. He has already forgiven you. You just have to believe and accept His love and forgiveness. Then get into His word and renew your mind. Meditate on His word and let Him bring you peace and joy into your life. A life overflowing with His love. AMEN!

I would not trade my new life with Christ Jesus for anything. As I look back on my life before, I can see clearly now that I was living with the enemy in darkness. The enemy makes sin look and feel like fun or else we would not be attracted to it. But the TRUTH is, that we are blinded by thinking it is fun. When our eyes are opened to the light of Jesus, we can then see where we are being deceived. We can then find true Peace and Joy through Him.

Share your testimony of what God has done for you, how He has turned your life into a full life. How He has healed you, prospered you, delivered you, rescued you, tell how He saved you with His undeserved, unmerited, free gift of GRACE.

STAY IN THE WORD!

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