"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.... " (Titus 2:11)
I have written and spoken on our text many times over the last 52 years of preaching. Yes, I have repeated myself many times. But I remind you: Every time you read the Bible through, God is repeating Himself to you, "fresh" or "new revelation" though it may be.
Dwight Moody once said, "No man can resolve himself into Heaven." Of course not. It is, "the grace of God that brings salvation," the grace which, "has appeared to all men." You are familiar with, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God...." The words, "grace," and, "gift," in the Divine economy cannot be separated. "Gift," is the very nature of, "grace." There was a song which came out decades ago called "Twist and Shout." One phrase says, "work it out, baby." We need a song which says, "Grace it out, baby."
The great promise of John 3 is that Father gave Jesus and in the Holy Spirit I can be born into This Wonderful Family. Jesus Christ, The One of Whom Wesley wrote, "Jesus, Lover of my soul," is the great Giver to my soul. As John 3:16 declares, "This is how God loved the world: He gave His only Son...." The Cross is the greatest manifestation of grace/gift the Universe has ever seen. "Jesus, keep me near the Cross."
Resolutions, resolve, "I can beat this," are an unbeliever's efforts to get "himself into Heaven." But far too many Christians keep this attitude in their daily struggle to be spiritual people, so very subtle at times it can be. A gift by nature is to be received, not earned or "resolve[d] himself into...." I do not claim to understand grace. The title of Titus 2 in my Bible is: "Trained by Saving Grace." However that happens, I want to walk in this "training."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I so appreciated Your, "grace...that brings salvation." What I can understand, more importantly, walk in, I so desire. Amen.
**************
* I will be preaching in the CCE meeting on November 11
* Conference call tomorrow evening, 19:00
I have written and spoken on our text many times over the last 52 years of preaching. Yes, I have repeated myself many times. But I remind you: Every time you read the Bible through, God is repeating Himself to you, "fresh" or "new revelation" though it may be.
Dwight Moody once said, "No man can resolve himself into Heaven." Of course not. It is, "the grace of God that brings salvation," the grace which, "has appeared to all men." You are familiar with, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God...." The words, "grace," and, "gift," in the Divine economy cannot be separated. "Gift," is the very nature of, "grace." There was a song which came out decades ago called "Twist and Shout." One phrase says, "work it out, baby." We need a song which says, "Grace it out, baby."
The great promise of John 3 is that Father gave Jesus and in the Holy Spirit I can be born into This Wonderful Family. Jesus Christ, The One of Whom Wesley wrote, "Jesus, Lover of my soul," is the great Giver to my soul. As John 3:16 declares, "This is how God loved the world: He gave His only Son...." The Cross is the greatest manifestation of grace/gift the Universe has ever seen. "Jesus, keep me near the Cross."
Resolutions, resolve, "I can beat this," are an unbeliever's efforts to get "himself into Heaven." But far too many Christians keep this attitude in their daily struggle to be spiritual people, so very subtle at times it can be. A gift by nature is to be received, not earned or "resolve[d] himself into...." I do not claim to understand grace. The title of Titus 2 in my Bible is: "Trained by Saving Grace." However that happens, I want to walk in this "training."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I so appreciated Your, "grace...that brings salvation." What I can understand, more importantly, walk in, I so desire. Amen.
**************
* I will be preaching in the CCE meeting on November 11
* Conference call tomorrow evening, 19:00
* If you ever wondered what happen to Saddam Husein's weapons of mass destruction:
www.jerusalemberlinwashington.blogspot.com
www.jerusalemberlinwashington.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
