Reminding Myself of God’s Grace and Learning To Relax In It

In review of Philippians 3:9 it reminds me that, “I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith” (NLT).

No amount of law keeping, self-improvement, discipline, or religious effort can make me right with God. Righteousness comes only from God, and I am made righteous (receive right standing with him) by trusting in Christ. He exchanges my sins and shortcomings for his complete righteousness. Paul gave up everything in order to know Christ and his resurrection power. I, too, have access to this same knowledge and power, but I will need to make sacrifices to enjoy it fully. So, what am I willing to give up in order to know Christ? A crowded schedule in order to set aside a few minutes each day for prayer and Bible study? Other’s approvals? Some of my plans and pleasures? Whatever it may be, knowing Christ is more than worth the sacrifice. 

Legalism will rob me of happiness. It’s the attitude that I have to prove my love to God, which means I have to make sure I do everything exactly right. It’s thinking I have to follow rules and regulations and restrictions in order to prove myself worthy. One of the consequences of being legalistic is that I then force the same expectations on others, thinking they also have to prove their worth to God.

Legalism will suck my your life dry of happiness. It sucks churches dry of happiness. Everybody’s just there out of duty or guilt.

How do you know when I’m being legalistic? It’s when I’m judgmental of other people. How do you know when I’m living by grace? It’s when I’m gracious to others. Those who live by grace often find it easier to forgive because they recognize that God continues to forgive them.

I’m told that when I finally realize there’s nothing I can do to make God love me more, it is one of the most liberating feelings in the world. And it is a key to happiness. Every day, I should remind myself of God’s grace, and then relax in it.

In summary, I can't count on my own righteousness through just obeying the law, rather I become righteous through faith in Christ. God's way of making me right with him depends on faith. Nothing I do can make me righteous. It only comes from God by my trusting in Christ. For he'll exchange my sins and shortcomings for his complete righteousness. I must however make sacrifices to enjoy it fully. I need to give up things in order to know Christ. Legalism will such my life dry of happiness. I'm being legalistic when I'm judgmental of others.  I need to practice graciousness to others. Those who live by grace often find it easier to forgive because they recognize that God continues to forgive them. I need to realize there is nothing I can do to make God love me more. It is a key to happiness. I need to remind myself of God's grace, and then relax in it.

Even though I trust in God’s grace, I still find myself forgetting this and getting caught up in what’s happening in life and the feeling of being pushed more activities than are possible. I need to remind myself what Christ has done for me and realize that I am helpless to save myself. Today’s devotional also reminds me that when I feel that others are against me, that I need to learn to practice grace with them. I pray this morning Father that your Spirit reminds me of your grace you provide and how I in turn should practice grace to others. I ask you for your wisdom and guidance for my day, my leadership and my interactions with others. I ask this through your Son Jesus name.

Exploring What Righteousness Means

In review of Romans 1:17, it tells how “The Good News shows how God makes people right with himself” (NCV).

Romans 1:17 

The Good News tells me how God makes me right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

The Good News shows me both; how righteous God is in his plan for me to be saved, and also how I may be make fit for eternal life. By trusting Christ, my relationship with God is made right. God declares me to be righteous by faith and this faith alone. As I trust God, I am saved; I have life both now and forever.

Righteousness is a big word in the Bible. It’s used lots of times. The Bible says that God loves righteousness and that God is righteous. It says that one day God is going to judge the world in righteousness. Psalm 23 says that God leads us in the paths of righteousness.

So what does this word mean? It comes down to two things: Righteousness is a relationship and it's a lifestyle.

Righteousness simply means being right with God. The Good News is that God made me right with himself through Jesus’ death as a payment for my sins. Because of Jesus’ death, I can have a personal relationship with God.

Righteousness is also a lifestyle. It means living right as God intends. The Bible says in 1 John 2:29, “All who practice righteousness are God’s true children” (The Message).

So why should I care about being right with God? Because it’s the only way to live, and it’s the only way to heaven.

When I’m disconnected from God, I’m not really living; I just exist. Most people in the world aren’t really fully alive. They just exist, trying to make it to the weekend. But to be disconnected from my Creator who made me for a purpose is nonsense.

Life is not about the acquisition of things or the achievement of goals. Life is about getting to know God, the one who loves me and made me for a purpose. I’m not really living until I’m right with God and have a relationship with him.

Righteousness is also the way I get to heaven. God created heaven as a place for his children whom he loves, and he wants me to be with him forever. He wants me to be in heaven, but he’s not going to force me to go there. I can choose to be disconnected from God here on earth, but when this life on earth is done, I wouldn’t have a second chance to choose where I’ll spend eternity.

I won’t be able to blame God, because he gives me the choice right now to have a relationship with him. He wants me to choose to love him! And when I do, I’ll be made right with him. It will change life, here on earth and for eternity!

Bottom Line:

The Good News shows us how God makes us right through our faith.

What this means to me:

The Good News shows me how God makes me right with himself. Its through my faith.

In summary, the Good News tells me how God makes me right in his sight. This is through my faith in him. As I trust God, I am saved. Righteousness comes down to two things. It's a relationship and a lifestyle. Righteousness simply means being right with God. God made me right with himself through Jesus' death as payment for my sins. Righteousness is also a lifestyle and means living as God intended. Life is not about the acquisition of things or the achievement of goals. It's about getting to know God and having a relationship with him. I have a choice here on earth. To have or not have a relationship with him. He wants me to choose to love him. When I do, I'll be made right with him and will change my life here and in eternity.

Today’s study is a reminder of how I need to choose to have a relationship with God. Get to know him and his character and then to trust him for what I need and for his guidance. This morning I pray for his wisdom and guidance for my day. Allow me to be calm, listen, ask appropriate questions and not be defensive. I ask for you and your Spirit to help me with clarity and planning for the next steps. Help me to lead my team and react appropriately to others. I pray this in your Son Jesus name, amen.

How To Be Made Right With God

In review of Romans 10:9-10 it says, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”

Bottom Line:

If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from death, you will be saved. For it is by our faith that we are put right with God; it is by our confession that we are saved.

What this means to me:

I was saved when I confessed that Jesus is Lord and believed in my heart that God raised him from the dead. It is by faith that I am made right with God; it was my confession of this that save me.

I’m reminded this morning that, it is through the Good News message that I am shown how to be right with God.  Romans 1:17 says, “The Good News shows how God makes people right with himself” (NCV). God does this via these three points.

First, none of us can make ourselves righteous. Heaven is a perfect place. There’s no sin, sadness, evil, or injustice. Unfortunately, I’m imperfect, and God won’t let sinful people like myself into Heaven because then it would be full of sin, too.  Romans 3:20 says, “No one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are” (NLT).  The only people who think they can keep God’s laws are those that don’t know them, because God’s laws are perfection, and none of us are perfect. We cannot be made right on our own. So God had to come up with a plan.

Second, God sent Jesus to pay for our sins so we could be declared righteous. When I break man’s laws, I would pay man’s penalty. When I break God’s laws, I would pay God’s penalty, which is eternity in Hell. Somebody has to pay for all the things I’ve done in life that hurt other people, myself, and God. God said, “I’ll send my Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty. He will take your place so you don’t have to go to Hell. You can be with me forever.”  The Good News means that everything that I’ve ever done or will do wrong has already been paid for by Jesus Christ on the cross. I have been made right with God by Jesus action. “God saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:5a).

Third, in order to obtain this, I need to accept by faith what God did for me. To be made right with God, I just needed to believe and accept by faith that what Jesus did on the cross paid for my sins. When I did, I became part of God’s family. I can live the way he wants me to live now and then go to Heaven in eternity.

Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”

The Good News is for everyone, it's not exclusive to me. Anyone can be saved no matter who they are, what they done, or how long they’ve done it.

If you are reading this, today is the day to settle this for yourself. If you are not sure if you are going to Heaven when you die, you can pray this prayer: “Dear God, thank you that you made me, that you have a plan and purpose for my life, and that you made me to know you. Thank you for the choice that you’ve given me to accept or reject your offer of salvation. Today I humbly ask you to save me — not based on what I’ve done but based on what Jesus Christ did for me. I don’t understand it all, but as much as I know how I want to put my trust in your Son. God, I want to get to know you. I want to learn to love you. I want to hunger and thirst for righteousness the rest of my life. I put my trust in your grace and in your forgiveness. I want you to be the Lord of my life. Amen.”

Being Right With God Is About A Relationship And A Lifestyle

In review of Romans 1:17 it says, “The Good News shows how God makes people right with himself—that it begins and ends with faith. As the Scripture says, “But those who are right with God will live by faith.”

Bottom Line:

The Good News shows how God puts people right with himself, it begins and ends with faith. As the Scriptures say, those who are right with God will live by faith.

What this means to me:

The Good News shows me how God makes me right with him. It starts and ends with my faith. His word tells me that it is through faith that a righteous person has life.

What does it mean to be righteous? This term is used a lot in scripture. The Bible says that God loves righteousness and that God is righteous. It says that one day God is going to judge the world in righteousness. Psalm 23 says that God leads us in the paths of righteousness.

Rick Warren boils down the definition of righteousness to two words, a relationship and a lifestyle.

What I’m learning is that righteousness simply means being right with God. Romans 1:17a says, “The Good News shows how God makes people right with himself” (NCV). The Good News is that God made us right with himself through Jesus’ death as a payment for our sins. Because of Jesus’ death, I can now have a personal relationship with God.

Righteousness is also a lifestyle. It means living right as God intends. The Bible says in 1 John 2:29, “All who practice righteousness are God’s true children” (MSG).

What I’m learning is that life is not about the acquisition of things or the achievement of goals. Rather, life is about getting to know God, the one who loves and made me for a purpose. I’m not really living until I’m right with God and have a relationship with him.

Sowing Today to Reap God's Blessing At The Proper Time

In reviewing Galatians 6:9 it says, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

Bottom Line:

Never give up doing what is right, for in God’s right timing, he will provide blessings.

What this means to me:

I’m the type that likes seeing immediate results for my investments and efforts.  This scripture reminds me that as a Christ follower, I should never grow weary of doing what I know is the right thing to do, even when I don’t get immediate feedback or results.  In God’s timing, not mine, he will bless me.  The analogy of a farmer explains this concept well.  Every farmer knows that what you sow in one season, you will reap in another season. You plant in the spring, and you harvest in the fall.  So, the way I respond right now is definitely going to affect my future. If I respond correctly in this season of life and do the right thing, especially when I don't feel like it, it will pay great dividends for my future.  There are four questions I can keep in mind to reap God’s blessing in the future:

• What can I learn in this season of life: There are some things I can only learn through experience. Deuteronomy 11:2 says, "Remember ... what you have learned about the Lord through your experiences with him” (GNT).
• What can I do to enjoy this current season of life:  The Bible says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV). I am to live the good and the bad days with a great sense of gratitude; each day is a gift from God.
• What is most important for this season: Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” If that's true, then I can't have it all at one time. I have to make some tough decisions about what really matters at this particular time in life.
• How can you help others in this season of life: The Bible says very clearly that I wasn't put on earth just to live for myself: "Whenever you are able, do good to people who need help” (Proverbs 3:27 NCV). God gave me abilities, talents, and energy to help other people.

In summary, I want to commit myself to Jesus Christ, to grow in him. I want to continue to develop spiritually.  As painful as it might be at times, I want God to use the seasons of my life to teach me to learn to trust him in every season, even the difficult ones? I invite you Lord to be at the center of every season of my life, so you can build the character that I will take with me to Heaven.”