Grace For The Journey

  The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:6, “There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”  The benefits of salvation for the believer are far too many to number – for the Bible teaches us that we have been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).  Now, here is a truth that needs to be declared over and over today . . .

Salvation is not

Primarily about the saint;

It is about the Savior.

We have been saved by Jesus and for Jesus.  We are not our own; we were bought by the incomparable price of the precious blood of the Lamb of God.  Therefore . . .

Because we are His,

The life we live

Must be lived

For the honor

And glory and praise

Of His name.

It is vitally important that we understand the difference between being saved for service and being saved by service.  Far too many in the church today wrongly believe they are saved by their service to God – that is, by their good works.  They believe that God will grade their lives “on a curve” of some sort, and that those who perform enough good works will be allowed into heaven.  But the Bible knows nothing of this pernicious error. The Bible clearly teaches in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”  You see . . .

If we were saved by service,

Salvation would indeed be

All about the saint,

But it is not . . .

Which is why

No one can boast.

On the other hand,

Being saved for service

Frees us to find God’s

Plan and purpose

For our lives,

So that we are able

To live in a way

That demonstrates our

Love for God and

For our neighbor.

A person who has truly been saved by God’s grace is a person who lives for serving God.  Think about it this way: God doesn’t need us for anything. He is capable of accomplishing His will all by Himself. He hung the sun in the sky just by speaking a word!  Yet God wants us, and the proof of that truth is the fact that you are reading this right now.  Unlike the good thief on the cross, who went to Paradise mere moments after being saved, you are still here, which means God has work for you to do in this world.

How does knowing that salvation

Iis all about Jesus and not about you

Impact the way you use

Your time, talent, and treasure?

Are you allowing God

To use you for His glory

. . . Or are you striving

For your own glory?

Are you spending the lion’s share

Of your time expanding the cause

Of His glorious kingdom . . .

Or are you trying to

Build your own kingdom?

The choice will always be yours, and please don’t forget this: Even though God does not need your service, everyone else does.  If you fail to give yourself in service to your Lord, we are all diminished.  Keeping in view that your salvation is about your Savior will keep you in the center of His plan and purpose for your life, and there is absolutely no better place to live in order to find the meaning and significance we all crave.

This is God Word … This is Grace for your Journey …

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”