IT'S FREE!!!

The free gift is of many offences unto justification.

       

Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. — I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified. — I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

       

God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. — Not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. — And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

The amazing thing about God is that He offers what He does for us freely--and makes it without cost, and unconditional.  Because His love is so great, He provides us with everlasting life, forgiveness, mercy, cleansing, righteousness, purity, all as His gifts to us without cost.  These gifts of His are not only without cost, but priceless, beyond measure, infinite, all by the love and power of God, the healing grace of the Spirit, and the great work of His Son, Jesus Christ.

       

ROM. 5:16.  Isa. 1:18. ‑Isa. 43:25,26. ‑Isa. 44:22. John 3:16. ‑Rom. 5:15. ‑I Cor. 6:11.

Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things....

The king held out ... the golden sceptre. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

 (A Picture from the Scripture, a parable--God receives us, as our King).
       

It shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.

We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.

Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. — For through him we ... have access by one Spirit unto the Father. — We have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. — Let us there-fore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

History is full of men and women who strained to access God, who spent years of effort to find Him--and He's right in front of all of us; People the world over have feared the judgment of God, but never known His love. That's right in front of you as well.  God loves YOU.  Not only that, you can get right to Him, because "in Him we live and move and have our being." He is not far from you.  So when you want to meet Him, He's waiting, and He wants to hear from you. "Call upon the Lord while He is near"--He is near when you draw near Him; He never moves away; "I will never leave you, or forsake you." That is His firm promise.  

ESTH. 5:2.  Exo. 22:27. I John 4:16‑19. Heb. 10:22. ‑Eph. 2:18. ‑Eph. 3:12. ‑Heb. 4:16.

Trust Me...

Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.

[Abraham] staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. — The children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. — It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. — The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

O  taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

The ability to trust God is a blessed gift, and a capacity that grows with spiritual effort. The Psalms we love the most are about trust, or at least are filled with trust, so that the writer's faith literally oozes from them:

"The LORD is my Shepherd..." Psalm 23

"The LORD is my Light and Salvation" Psalm 27

"I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth" Psalm 34:1

What does this faith gain for whoever practices it?

1. Assurance of a life with God, and a home in heaven: Psalm 23:6

2. Help and strength for the difficult days we face: Psalm 27:3,5,14

3. The ability to deal with difficult people: Psalm 34, title, and vss. 6, 7, 22.

Believe the Lord.  Trust in Him. Let Him be your shield and strength.  He wants to do this for you.

     

PROV. 16:20.  Rom. 4:20,21. ‑II Chr. 13:18. Psa. 46:1,2. ‑Psa. 118:8,9. -Psa. 37:23,24. Psa. 34:8,9.

The Accuser

The accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

       

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. — Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly. — That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. — In all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. — Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. And take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. — Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is on our side.  It's true, we may have to fight, resist, struggle; but Satan has been vanquished at the Cross and through Jesus' death. Despite Satan's great power, we fight on the winning side.  He may take our human lives--or possessions, or livelihood, and he may say to us that he is mightier than we are, which would be true--except that the Lord, who lives within us, is greater than all, and HE is on our side. As John said, "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." Satan is powerful as a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), but we serve the Almighty God, and Satan will be defeated (Rev. 20:10), and one day be of no consequence.

       

REV. 12:10.  Rev. 12:11. ‑Rom. 8:33,34. Col. 2:15. ‑Heb. 2:14,15. ‑Rom. 8:37. ‑Eph. 6:11,17. ‑I Cor. 15:57.

The True Light now Shines

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

       

By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. — When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light. — Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. — We have also a sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place. — Now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. — They need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

The Bible brings truth into life, and directs your paths; Jesus is the Light, the Word, the Truth, the Way, and when you follow Him, your path is clear. These two are twins, so to speak, so that following Jesus is following the path the Bible lays out for you, and vice versa--you see Him in the Word, and you see the Word in Him. When you follow Him, the future is even brighter than the full light of day, as the darkness of this present age passes, and the true light dawns.

PSA. 119:105.  Psa. 17:4,5. ‑Prov. 6:22,23. ‑Isa. 30:21. John 8:12. ‑II Pet. 1:19. ‑I Cor. 13:12. ‑Rev. 22:5.

 

Devotional for August 26

Thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the

   engravings of a signet: HOLINESS TO THE LORD.--EXO. 28:36.

   Holiness, without which no man can see the Lord.--God is a Spirit: and
   they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.--But we
   are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy
   rags.--I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all
   the people I will be glorified.

   This is the law of the house: Upon the top of the mountain the whole
   limit thereof round about shall be most holy.--Holiness becometh thine
   house, O Lord, for ever.

   For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified
   through the truth.--Seeing . . . that we have a great high priest, that
   is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us . . . come
   boldly unto the throne of grace. that we may obtain mercy, and find
   grace to help in time of need.

   Heb. 12:14. -John. 4:24. -Isa. 64:6. -Lev. 10:3.Ezek. 43:12. -Psa.
   93:5.John 17:19. -Heb. 4:14,16.

Holiness...a great gift of God, provided by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ:
We are called to "Work out our own salvation with fear and trembling," and to "perfect holiness in the fear of God," and so we always strive toward an ideal,
but in its essence, holiness is a gift: "He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God  in Him;" "His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and Godliness;" "Their sins and iniquities I will remember no more;" "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." "Whoever believes in Him [Jesus] shall receive remission (forgiveness, removal) of sins...The HOLY Spirit fell upon all those who heard the [Peter's] word."