Every human knows what it feels like to be stuck. Stuck in repeated mistakes, personality flaws, bad habits, unfulfilling rhythms and inner unrest caused by our sinfulness. But God in His grace sent Jesus to get us un-stuck and offer real transformation for those who put their trust in Him. This is what becoming new in Christ means: a change in our standing with God, a change in what makes us happy, a change in what controls our lives, and a change in what our eternity will be like. He changes everything! Trust Him day by day and watch Him change you from who you used to be into who you were made to be.
He Will Help Us Every Moment
Devastating tragedy. Unexpected loss. Agonizing heartache. There is no way to be adequately prepared for sudden suffering when it blindsides us. We don’t see the hardship coming, but we can be sure of this: we will see the grace of God coming. He will not leave us alone to face the trials of this world. We don’t have the answers, but He will give us guidance. We don’t have the will, but He will give us strength. We don’t have optimism, but He will give us hope. We don’t have a lot of things on our own, but we do have Jesus. And He is everything. Take heart in this: He will help us every moment we cannot help ourselves.
God Has Solved It All
Here’s just one of the many things that is so amazing about God’s grace: we would still be walking in darkness if He had not shined His light upon our hearts. We would not have seen our sin for what it is, but even if we did… We would not have cared, but even if we did… We would not have been able to do anything to change. But God has solved all of this. His light exposes our sin, reveals His grace and leads us to faith in Jesus. Whoever follows Him does not live in darkness, but has the transforming light of life. Today, as we walk in the light, let us remember to praise God for drawing us to the Light of the World.
The Fix Is Jesus
Our world is not going to get better until we realize we cannot fix ourselves. The fix is not in more laws or more freedoms. The fix is not in more penalties or more incentives. The fix is not in more pre-education or more post-counseling. Whatever entry you want to add to the list … that’s not it either. The fix is Jesus. Only He can transform us from rebellious, idolatrous sinners into the glorious image-bearers of a loving God we were created to be. When we turn to Him again and again in faith, He will… Change our minds. Change our hearts. Change our lives. He takes our broken pieces and puts them back together again.
The Scale Always Tips
If you put all of my weaknesses on one side of the scale and all of my strengths on the other side of the scale, it’s not even close in comparison. Strength wins easily. See if you agree with me on this. My weaknesses: I don’t have all the right answers. I don’t say all the right words. I don’t make all the right moves. Day after day, there are countless ways in which I am wrong, not right. My strengths: Jesus. The scale always tips to the side of grace! Day after day, He gives me the right stuff I need and forgives me for the wrong stuff I do. Let us rejoice in this good news today: His strength will overcome our weakness.
Grace For Every Step
So… Where do you go from here? What is your next step? Step one is to welcome Jesus into your life for Who He is: Savior, Provider, Counselor, Leader, King, Treasure. If you have never repented of your sinful life apart from Him and received the life that comes with Him, then by faith ask God for this right now. If you really mean it in your heart, He will give it to you. Step two onward is to grow in grace. Step after step, you let Jesus be Who He is … for you. You seek to know Him, follow Him and enjoy Him, letting His peace, hope and joy rule in your heart as He rules your life for your good.
Has He Started That Good Work In You?
Has He started that good work in you? How can you and I know that we have received God’s grace? There are two really good indicators that your faith in Him is genuine: you have a growing hatred for sin and a growing love for Jesus. You don’t just want to be free from the consequences of sin, but sin itself. You don’t just want to have the blessings of God, but God Himself. There is a desire that begins growing inside of you to experience all that God has for you, in this world and the one to come. You believe in Jesus for the first time, and then you believe in Him more fully over time. We grow. That’s how we know.
Made New In Every Way
We’re given… New identities. New desires. New lives. New futures. Christians have a faith in Jesus that is demonstrated by loving obedience, though imperfectly executed. That means there is grace to help us get this right, and there is grace to help us when we get this wrong. Our entire spiritual journey is one in which we rely on grace to take steps of faith in living as God intends for us, and in which we rest in that same grace when we take mis-steps knowing that God won’t give up on us. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith, and we can be sure of this: God will finish what He starts in us.
He Makes Us Into Different People
Faith is saying “yes” to God’s grace by agreeing with Him that you’re a sinner who cannot do anything to make yourself good enough to be accepted by Him, and then by asking Him to begin a good work in you to increasingly change you into a radically new person that is acceptable to Him. Faith is also saying “no” to our old lives of indifference and rebellion to God by turning away from them to Him. We mean it when we say of our sin: “I did it. I regret doing it. Help me not to do it again. Lead me to something better in you.” When that happens… God doesn’t just give us different lives; He makes us into different people.
Grace Is God’s Answer
Grace is God’s answer to the question of how sinners like you and me could ever be welcomed into His presence, His family and His blessing. Then, grace poses a question for us to answer: will you receive it? The gospel of grace is only good news if it is true, if you are included in it, and if you believe it. It is true. You can be included. Do you believe? You can have it all if you believe Jesus is Who the Bible says He is, Jesus did what the Bible says He did, and Jesus will deliver all the Bible says He will. Grace leads us to Jesus. Faith leads us to follow Jesus in loving obedience. Nearness leads us to enjoy real life with Jesus.
A Life Of Real Contentedness
You can’t afford it; but it’s already paid for. You can’t earn it; but it’s freely given. You can’t secure it; but it’s always available to you. God’s grace has countless implications and applications for everyday life and eternal life, ranging from getting good things to getting through bad things to getting to the best things. There is grace for you to have the life of real contentedness that you’ve always wanted. And that’s just the beginning, for it will expand and extend throughout eternity. All you have to do is … Want it. Ask for it. Receive it. Enjoy it. Grace isn’t about your doing or your deserving; it’s about God giving us His gifts.
Ongoing War Against Sin
As Christians, we are in an ongoing war against our sin, and there are daily occasions in which we lose the battle. This spiritual journey we are on is one in which we have not yet been fully delivered from the presence of sin, so we must fight against it and confess our failings when we lose a skirmish. Ours is a humble and simple cry out for grace: “I did it. I regret doing it. Help me not do it again. Lead me to something better in you.” Because Jesus has already secured the final victory over our sin, there is grace for us. Grace that gives us pardon when we lose the fight, and grace that gives us power to fight on.
God-Glorifying Happiness
How is God glorified through our happiness? There are at least three ways… First, He is glorified when we trust that He knows best how to make us happy, and we lovingly do what He says to bring about our happiness. Second, He is glorified when we thank Him for the good things He gives to us and does for us that make us happy so that He gets credit. Third, He is glorified when we treasure Him as our ultimate source of happiness by delighting not just in His gifts, but in Him as a good and generous and gracious Giver. Trust Him. Thank Him. Treasure Him. This is how God is honored in us and we are happy in Him.
Still Works Miracles
Never give up on your family member who is far from God. Never stop praying for your friend who is cold toward God. Never lose hope over your loved one who doesn’t believe in God. We were all there in some way at some time in our past, and God changed our lives. He can do it again! He is still rescuing sinners by His grace so they can find their way to new life in Jesus. No matter how far away they are. No matter how cold they are. No matter how unbelieving they are. It takes a miracle for someone to repent and believe the gospel, but that’s exactly where we pin our hopes: Our gracious God still works miracles.
Contentment Will Be Ours
We rob ourselves of satisfaction when we long too deeply for something more or something different than what God has given us. We will not like our lives when we think too much about how unlike they are from… The way it used to be in better times. The way we want it to be in current times. The way it seems to be for others at all times. But we can stop this robbery by trusting God knows best what to give us and by treasuring what God does give us in, through and because of the gift of His Son. Contentment will be ours if we stop focusing on what is absent from our lives and start rejoicing that Jesus is present in them.
Tell Jesus
You can tell Jesus anything about the help you need and He will tell you something to help you with that need. Tell Him you’re uncertain and He will tell you to follow Him. Tell Him you’re worried and He will tell you to trust Him. Tell Him you’re dissatisfied and He will tell you to enjoy Him. Do you know what will happen when you tell Jesus that you’re tired, discouraged, lonely, angry, hurting, stressed or sad? He will tell you that His grace is sufficient to bring you relief, rest, renewal and even rejoicing as He brings you through hard times. Tell Jesus what’s on your heart and let Jesus tell you what will unburden your heart.
I Understand
There are two words that Christians ought to use regularly to encourage believers and engage with non-believers: I understand. We get it that perfection isn’t possible. We get it that mistakes will be made. We get it that flaws will come forth. We are all sinners who struggle with being the people we were made to be and doing the things we were made to do, even if we have been following Jesus for decades. We never outgrow our need for His forgiveness and help. Others need to hear us honestly acknowledge that we are fellow-sojourners who fail and fall too. And that we know where to go for grace when we do.
How God Sees Us
What we say and think about ourselves is sometimes quite different than what God does. We say we can’t do something. God says we can do all things through His strength. We think we are a flawed and worthless mess. God thinks we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We say we are unlovable because of our sin. God says He loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die for our sins. We think our lives can’t make much of a difference. God thinks He can change the world through people just like us. We need to see ourselves like God sees us: A forgiven, empowered, beloved son or daughter who is learning to live like it.
God Will Do For Us What He Says To Us
We face many uncertainties today as much of the circumstances and people in our lives are completely out of our control. But that doesn’t mean we have to head into the day with fear or worry that things will go from good to bad or from bad to worse. Instead, we can be of good courage and cheer because… God has promised to be with us. God has promised to help us. God has promised to provide for us. In the morning, let us remember that He has made these promises to us. In the evening, let us rejoice that He has kept these promises to us. In between, let us live certain of this: God will do for us what He says to us.
You Have Been Set Free
Too many of us live as if we are still imprisoned by our sin, sorrow and struggles with no way out of the cell that confines us. Too often we let regrets from the past, imperfections in the present and fears of the future enslave us as if we are helpless and hopeless to do anything about them. Too soon we give up and give in when victory has already been secured and is almost ready to be seen. Jesus has made amends for our past, makes provision for our present and will make a way for our future until we have been fully delivered from all fears, foes and faults. Follow Jesus right out of that cell today. You have been set free.
