My sister-in-law gave me a present one Christmas about 5 years ago, that I have truly cherished. It is a book by Billy Graham entitled Hope for Each Day – words of wisdom and faith. It is a daily devotional book that I have read every day since she gave it to me. There are many passages and message mentioned by Reverend Graham, most that I do not, in truth, completely understand. But there are a few after five years that are starting to sink in and I wanted to share one with you. These comments a verbatim from his book so I take know credit for his wisdom.
This one is titled - Poor in Spirit …..Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21
“One of the hardest truths for some people to accept is that there is absolutely nothing they can do to win their salvation.
No matter how generous…how honest…how compassionate they are - it is never enough. God is holy, and His standard is perfection. If we think we are simply good enough, it simply proves our pride.
Only when we see ourselves as God sees us – sinners, guilty before Him- will we realize our need of a Savior. C.H. Spurgeon said “The first link between my soul and Christ is not my goodness but my badness, not my merit but my misery, not my riches but my need.”
But the amazing thing is this: In spite of our sins, God still loves us. He loves us so much that Christ died on the Cross for us. All we can do is believe and receive – believe Christ died for us and by faith receive Him into our lives. No, you cannot win your salvation – but Christ has won it for you.”
For many years I believed that I have needed to win my salvation. I believed that penance was do for the sins I have committed in my life and that the pain and bad health I have suffered for 14 years now was my penance. I felt like God has been torturing me for the bad things that I’ve done throughout my life.
Thankfully, through prayer I have been enlightened by those who know far more than I do about God. I’ve learned that God if I confessed and repented my sins, and ask that Christ come into my life as my Lord and Savior, that even I would be forgiven.
This message helped me by explaining we all are sinners in the eyes of God, but that through His love for us and the sacrifice of His only son Jesus Christ, that He has forgiven us and wants us to come home to Him.
God Bless you all………
Mike, I really enjoyed this post. It is a reminder that we are all human, and that we are on our journey toward being like our God.
ReplyDeleteIt made me think of watching Billy Graham crusades on television when I was growing up. God certainly gave him a gift for touching the hearts of many. Have you read his autobiography, Just As I Am?
Mike, I'm a friend of Joyce and Robin. I've enjoyed reading your Blog. This message is so good because the "great deceiver" the devil, has tried, since Adam, to convence us, "you are not good enough." Praise the Lord, it doesn't depend on me, but "Christ, is good enough. You know, in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat from the tree of "The knowledge of Good and Evil." That word "knowledge" is the key to what God wanted to keep us from. He never wanted us to have the knowledge of the pain that sin causes....He was going to take care of "GRACE" which is God's unmerrited favor, but he did't want us to experience the pain of sin's committed. The enemy never shows up ugly, but always in something inticing. It's later we find the pain of that choice. We serve a God of love and mercy. He is just like a good Daddy, trying to keep his kids from making mistakes, but even if we do, He's got us covered...yes, covered under the blood of the Lamb, His Son, our elder brother. Keep runing the race set before you. I'm praying for you. Linda
ReplyDeleteHi Mike, I have been in Fl for the past 10 days and my visiting has been very sparse. I enjoyed your post today and Billy Graham is an awesome Christian leader. I posted a sign last Sunday that kind of fits your struggle. "Your not too bad to come in and you are not too good to stay out" Smile. Of course, this refers to attending church. Many of us have the same thoughts as you had, but we are assured if we ask for forgiveness we are forgiven. A wonderful sense of peace isn't it.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Jeanne
Your blog looks fantastic. I love the new look.
ReplyDeleteGreat job!!!
This was a really good post and a powerful message by Billy Graham. I had the privilege of seeing him in person once and it was such a wonderful experience. It is all soo true of course as well. God's great love for us WHILE we are yet sinners is a truth that is hard to get our heads around sometimes I think. God is soo good. Have a wonderful week.. Blessings, Debbie
ReplyDeleteHi, Mike:
ReplyDeleteYour post is so true. It is only by the knowledge of the truth that we are set free. And when we admit we are sinners we can find Christ. Thank you for sharing.
This post reminded me of something my hubby shared with me today. He is reading the true story of a Muslim woman called, Infidel--its by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. She had said she had been trying to be a good believer in her faith in Allah but she knew she was a complete failure ...that her good deeds would be in a tiny thin book and her sins would be like an unabridged dictionary. The sad thing is that her faith was a works based faith and she, at least at this point (in the book--haven't read it all), had no concept of grace and mercy and of what Christ came to do. So thankful that we don't have to work our way into heaven!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this important message with us, Mike. It's sad that everyone doesn't understand that what God really wants from us is our hearts and our love and our response to his great love. Posts like yours help get that message out.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Charlotte
Such an inspiring post.
ReplyDeleteThank-you so much for sharing this important message. It is hard for some people to understand.Thank-you for sharing this today.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless,
Ginger
Great post. We should all learn from it
ReplyDeleteCindy