The Wonderful Grace of Jesus

wonderful, the matchless grace of Jesus...
all-sufficient grace for EVEN ME!

2Co 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
2Co 8:10 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.

From the throne of glory to a dirty manger He came, His grace strong enough to overcome the 4000 years of rebellion that man had already grieved Him with. He submitted Himself to the influences of pain, weakness, poverty, hunger, thirst, rejection, abuse, temptation, fear and so much more. His poverty was more than just giving up the wealth and worship He enjoyed in glory. He demonstrated to us that not only was He willing to pay a debt that we could not pay and that He did not owe but that He would also be an example of how to set aside the comforts, wealth and pleasures on the earth, to take off the fine apparel and gird ourselves with a towel to wash the feet of others. I have not followed that example nearly enough.

Forward a year ago, what an oft preached statement. For the world that means one step closer to retirement, bigger nest eggs and a nicer car. For Christ, it was further abuse, escalated rejection, increased poverty, more villages to preach in, more feet to wash, more people to minister to - until the culmination - the resurrection - when His work was complete, the joy that was set before Him began to be fulfilled and He took His rightful place at the right hand of the throne of God where He ever lives to make intercession for us (think about that-praying for us)

The richest rewards and payouts are typically with the most costly and often risky investments. This is where there is a difference

• there is a cost to serve God versus fulfilling the lust of our flesh - but not near the price that we deserve to pay for the sin that we are saved from - and eventually we realize that the "temporary cost" is still so beneficial in the relationships formed, the strengthening of family, the trouble that you dont end up in because you live more responsibly and especially the communion we get to enjoy with our Saviour
• there is no risk involved - His word is true - it is a blessed hope we have - even when the message we bring is rejected we are laying up treasure in glory. What amazing grace God has shown us!

2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Would that eternity was always on my heart, how often I fail so miserably, grieve God, lightly esteem the Rock of my salvation - and yet He is there to forgive and restore!

O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me...
I thank God through Jesus Christ - Rom 7:25

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

How great is His love for us - I can't wait for the day when we will no longer be bound by these bodies of flesh and can live with Him in perfection and glory!

The blind and the lame shall not come into the house - btw - THE KING JAMES BIBLE IS STILL PERFECT TODAY!

The blind and the lame shall not come into the house

2 Sam 5:8 offers this statement as do other places - Malachi 1 being another that I know well from one of the greates messages that I have ever heard (Inspecting our Service to God - Pastor Bob Brado - 2002)

Is this a difficult statement, in some ways perhaps but without much time this morning I wanted to give a couple spiritual applications

1) Blind and lame are obvious handicaps (is that still PC to say?). Someone with one of these conditions will be noticed because it is outward and not easily hidden.
2) Those with a handicap like this are certainly well capable of doing many useful and important things of great benefit but in this case (from a spiritual perspective I am referring) someone with a handicap should not be in the house (in the service of God actively ministering).
3) God expects our best, a sacrifice that is given to Him is to be whole and unspotted.
4) Might we consider that if God wants those that are brought into our house with no obvious handicaps that this could be applied to say that we as Christians need to be sure that what is brought in the house is whole and pure in all areas that are readily apparent to us prior to allowing them to serve in certain capacities. If there is a blatent deficiency - whether it be in doctrine, in testimony, whatever - there should be disqualification until their be healing. Consider the implications of how many people that one can influence if there is an area of blatent deficiency that seems to be acceptible. Why else does God provide the qualifications of deacons and pastors in the 5t's. Example - we had an experienced agent in the call center coaching our newer team of agents just coming out of training. The experienced agent was taking the calls and the others were typing for him and listening to how he handled it. I happened to silent monitor one of the calls. On this call the agent told the customer something that was inaccurate and I know for a fact that the agent knows the right information. I never would have anticipated that this agent would say something like this. The inaccurate way creates a much shorter call with less trouble for the agent but obviously is a disservice to the customer. Because the three new agents were sitting with him, they consider him an authority and will understandably mimic his handling of the issue. Now I have 4 agents that will likely continue this which will multiply over all of the customers that they deal with. This is very dangerous. The next step was to openly talk to the agent in correction and be certain that the new agents know that the info given is wrong, that it must be corrected to the customer that heard it and that there will be accountability when the expectations of service are not met.
The first and foremost application of this is that we must consider our ways - are we unblemished, are we sanctified, is our service to God acceptible or do we have eyes blinded by the world, ears plugged from hearing God's voice, lame legs not willing to move at God's command or bad doctrine that will lead others astray? God doesnt imply here that if someone has one useful thing to offer despite other blatent handicaps that they should be used but rather if they have a single handicap they should be eliminated until there has been healing in that area.

Next Chapter - I have preached 2 Sam 6 and love the text primarily because it demonstrates an important and often overlooked truth - it shows that just any way of doing something doesn't cut it with God. David was attempting to move the ark. He has his new cart - it will be the fastest and easiest way to get that cart from point A to point B (from man's reasoning). One problem, that is not the best way in God's eyes - it is not His ordained way. God uses sanctified men to accomplish His work and He gives us His word to tell us just how we are to do it. When we try on our own power with our methods and our standards then our ways will falter and it will cost lives and souls.

Hag 1:5-7
(5) Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
(6) Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.
(7) Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

Our ways are not His ways nor are our thoughts His thoughts - Isa. 55

There are many factors to consider in bringing people into the house, into service and how we go about our service. Our heart - absolutely, our motives - absolutely (Sermon on the mount) - our methods - Absolutely.
God could have made creation to work in a much less complex manner. He could have allowed for everyone and everything to do as it wanted and yet all would work just fine. He did not have to have a water cycle, a food chain etc. Certain species would not have to rely on other species which rely on other species etc in order to form the stability needed - yet it does.
There is an order, a structure, a complexity, a set of rules that nature abides by - sodomites try to defy that proper order of how God designed things, yet try as they might they cannot overcome God and it causes confusion and death.
God has standards - we always try our ways of doing things (like leaves for a covering) and he rejects that. Lets do things His way - lets seek God's ways and be sure that the offerings and service we give are not blind and lame in His eyes.