A Reminder When You Feel Like Your Life Is on Recall

My son recently received notice that his car is on recall due to some reported problems. In this age of technology, I’m a bit surprised, but I’m sure there’re a cazillion factors to consider when making a car so I’m grateful for the free fix with the recall!

As I read 11:29 today, I smiled because it reminded me that, unlike my son’s car, God’s Word will never be recalled. Paul gives a bold & unwavering promise that brings great comfort when various parts of life feel like they’re on recall 😉

He writes, “For God’s gifts & His call can never be withdrawn.”

There are 3 words worth considering:

Gifts - this is the free gift of God’s grace that one receives without any effort of his own

Call - God has invited all people of all time to receive his gift of salvation & the blessings that accompany it

Withdrawn - This is something irrevocable, done without regret because it was done with deep conviction & true concern

God’s gift & calling on YOUR life is immutable & unalterable. He made the decision to call you, out of deep conviction of His love for you, just the way you are, in the very state you’re in…There’s nothing you can do in your life that would alter your timeline in such a way that would negate His gift & call!

There is an irrevocable nature of God, an unchangeableness that brings great comfort when we simply take Him at His Word.

What He promises, He WILL fulfill!

What He purposes to do, He WILL do!

He will not change from or repent of His Word!

It shall be fulfilled regardless of the variables we face!

Numbers 23:19 promises that:

“God is not a man, so He does not lie.

He is not human, so He does not change his mind.

Has He ever spoken and failed to act?

Has He ever promised and not carried it through?”

I’m not sure what variables are fluctuating in your life right now, but I sense that God is calling each of us to come to Him, our unchangeable, rock-like foundation who never waivers on His Word!

Father, we praise You that You don’t change Your mind. We may not understand all of the “whys” behind the varying “whats” we face, but we take great comfort knowing that even though circumstances may change, Your irrevocable Word will not!

#OneYearBible #July

July 28th One Year Bible Readings

2 CHRONICLES 21:1-23:21

ROMANS 11:13-36

PSALM 22:1-18

PROVERBS 20:7

Goodness Doesn’t Equal Salvation

Years ago I had a conversation with someone about salvation. They insisted that if a person lived a good life, their salvation must be secure.

The premise was that this person couldn’t be that good without God, so surely the goodness was evidence of salvation.

I understand the logic, but I often think that logic can be a stumbling block to receiving God’s grace-filled, free gift of salvation.

We think if we live a life “good enough” that we will secure our place in heaven, but here’s the thing about goodness:

It is the EFFECT of the grace of God & thus cannot be the CAUSE of our salvation!

This idea of “work” is the very antithesis of “grace”.

Work involves a claim. If someone owes you a debt & then pays it, it wasn’t done by favor or grace. You have a claim on what they owe & there’s absolutely no favor when they pay what is due. It is purely transactional.

Grace, on the other hand, cannot be grace unless it’s free. What comes from grace isn’t connected to debt, but given IN SPITE of debt owed. It is free favor doused with unmerited love & is purely relational!

Here’s a simple Simon summary:

WORKS - I do work, I get paid. 

GRACE - I do NO work, yet my tremendous debt is paid.

Paul writes about this contrast in Romans 11, concluding that grace & works cannot coincide as causes of salvation.

If a person is saved by work, it’s not a matter of favor, but of debt. It contradicts the very idea of saved by grace!

We’re saved by God’s free & undeserved grace alone. It’s His great pleasure to grant us His grace because of His (often unrequited) love for us!

And here’s the kicker…we ALL have sinned in some way & carry a sin debt we can’t pay.

But God in His inherent goodness, sacrificed His sinless Son SO THAT our debt CAN be paid, free of charge, no work involved, but simply receiving His free gift of salvation. That’s it! 

Jesus, when we follow You as Lord, Your goodness overtakes us in such a remarkable way that the effect of Your Presence becomes visible in our lives! Onlookers might call the effect good works, but we know that it is tangible evidence of God’s grace & Your Lordship! Use our lives to lead many to God’s loving place of undeserved grace!

#OneYearBible #July

July 27th One Year Bible Readings

2 CHRONICLES 19:1-20:37

ROMANS 10:14-11:12

PSALM 21:1-13

PROVERBS 20:4-6

When You Let Your Spirit Lead in Lock-step with the HOLY Spirit, God Puts His Super in Your Natural

Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor for only fools insist on quarreling.

King Solomon wrote that tidbit of wisdom & it’s sometimes hard to remember in the middle of a disagreement😬

I sometimes think that if external badges were possible in life, (like when I was a Girl Scout), that I’d be more apt to “do good”. I loved that silly sash with all of the badges I earned. I think we all like external accomplishment on some level…& that’s probably why the kingdom of God is a lot less about doing & far more about following.

I’ll never forget when my guys were little & I made the novice mistake of praying for patience.🙄

The problem with praying for patience, is, well, it has to be tried so you have opportunity to CHOOSE patience, right?

Well,…not really.

If becoming patient (or loving, kind, joyful, etc,) were completely dependent on us white knuckling our way through, then yes, we’d need to be tested to show what we know.

BUT, when we remember that all those things aren’t simply feelings, but actual fruits of the Holy Spirit who resides inside, our perspective completely changes!

It becomes far less about earning a badge of honor & far more about following His lead!

When we let our spirits lead our body & soul in lock-step with the HOLY Spirit, God puts His super in our natural! (Got that line from my pastor 😉). No striving needed!

Another version says that it is honorable for a man to stop striving. Did you know that striving & strife share the same root!😳 I’d venture to say that anything we STRIVE to do, allows strife to quickly surface.

When we strive to accomplish things in our own will & insist on our own way, it leaves no room for the Holy Spirit to operate.

Father, we thank you that there are no external badges as we follow Your lead! It’s so easy to boast in our own strength, but we want to boast only in the name of the Lord our God!

Holy Spirit, have your way with us so when times of testing DO arise, Your fruit will also rise!

Tune our ears to hear Your voice over the tantrums of our own for that’s when striving ceases! We know that when we come under bit & bridle of Your counsel, we honor the Lord, the only One with honor due 💞

#OneYearBible #July

July 26th One Year Bible Readings

2 CHRONICLES 17:1-18:34

ROMANS 9:25-10:13

PSALM 20:1-9

PROVERBS 20:2-3