Grace

I guess I needed a lesson on grace because everywhere I turn I am reading something about it. I'm talking scripture, books, twitter, facebook.. literally everywhere I turn I'm getting a lesson on grace.

I am going through David Nasser's A Call to Die. Man its good stuff. Its been a great reminder that there is no good thing in me apart from Christ. Realizing this makes His sacrifice even sweeter. Its a reminder that I in no way deserve His goodness. Though its a great book... its very revealing... and what I'm learning about myself isn't pretty. So... thank you Jesus for grace.

"Mercy can be defined as not getting what we deserve. We are sinners who deserve God's righteous wrath, but in his mercy he forgives us. We don't go to hell. Grace goes even further. It means we get what we don't deserve. Christ paid the debt owed for our sin. Not only did we not get what we deserved, Jesus got what we had coming to us. He then offers us what we don't deserve- forgiveness and salvation."

''God's incredible grace is rich and free. Yet we often take it for granted. When we take it for granted, we cheapen it.... grace is not the real thing unless it makes a real difference in our life. Paul wrote, 'For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self controlled, upright and godly lives.' The grace of God doesn't make it ok to sin because the price has been paid. No, it transforms us. It exposes sin and produces in us a genuine sorrow for it. It creates in us a tremendous passion to do what is right in the sight of God."

In the good or the bad...."we need to focus on the costly grace bought for us by Jesus Christ. We cling to him and let him change our lives."