Author: mary

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

A Promise Fulfilled

God is good at keeping his word. He does not fill us with empty promises as others do. He is a promise keeper. The Lord is patient toward us, giving us chance after chance. He wants to see everyone come to know him. It is not his desire that anyone should perish, but that all come to know his salvation. He has promised man that he would deliver him from his sins, and he made good on that promise. He sent his son as a sacrifice so that man may live in light of eternity instead of the condemnation of sins. That promise is for every single person that would choose him. He does not want to see people reject him and choose death, but he is not a God that forces himself upon anyone. He gave us free will to be able to choose life or death. So some people reject the promises of God. God has made it very clear that sin cannot live in his presence. We cannot spend eternity with him. The two cannot exist together.

So when people reject his promises and instead choose a life of sin and death, then he gives them over to the lies and the consequences of it. Today, choose life, choose him, and choose his promises.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
I choose you, oh God. I choose your promises. I choose a life with you on this earth, and a life with you for all eternity in heaven. Amen.

I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud
     and your sins like mist;
 return to me, for I have redeemed you. Isaiah 44:22

Forgive Like Christ

These words of Isaiah 44:22 are a beautiful picture of what God has done in our salvation. He erased our transgressions or sins like a cloud. Just as a writer erases the mistakes, God has done the same for us. He blotted out our sins like a mist. It is as if our sins never existed.

When we forgive others for the wrongs that they have done in our lives, do we block them out in this way? Are they as a cloud or a mist that is gone as quickly as they came? Or do we constantly remember and remind them of the wrong that has been done. That is not true forgiveness. True forgiveness can only be found in God. If we forgive others like he has forgiven us, we will forgive in this way. Praise him that he does not hold our sins over our heads. Praise him that he remembers them no more! May we treat others in this way!

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
Thank you for truly forgiving my sins and blotting them out. May I forgive others in the same way you have forgiven me. Amen.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever.

Galatians 1:3-5

Grace and Peace

Grace and peace are two things that can only be found in Jesus Christ. Paul knew this when he sent this to theGalatians. He was saying grace to you, telling the people about the grace of God that extends far beyond anything they could find in anyone else. A grace that covers their sins. He was also sharing the peace that he had found in God with them. In a chaotic world, he is the only one that can give peace. He is the only place where we can find peace. Paul knew this very well. He had tried to serve God without the grace and peace when he was a Pharisee. However, he found an empty life. He only found grace and peace after he came face-to-face with the glory of God and his son.

So these two greetings are very powerful for the Christian. Grace is what has delivered us from the evils of this world and peace keeps us calm in the midst of the chaos of this world. Do you know His grace? Do you rely on His peace? Turn to Him and find this today.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
I need your grace every day. I need to be reminded of your grace and peace every day. May I live my life in such a way that I remind myself and others of the great things you have done. Amen.

…be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith…

Philippians 3:9

Be Found in Him

Be found in Him. In the Lord! Only true life, abundant life, can be found in Him. In Him we find our standard for living, our moral compass, our ability to discern right from wrong. If we live according to ourselves and our own standards, we will fall short every time. We will disappoint others and will walk the thin line between right and wrong. This is how society lives. They live according to their own standards and moral compass, which means it is always changing. That is impossible to keep up with!

A righteousness found in God is a righteousness based on faith, not opinions. Live according to the Word of God and you will find peace, joy, grace, and love. Live according to the world and you will find heartache, loneliness, and destruction.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
May I be found in you! May I live in your love, your grace, and your righteousness and not my own. You, Oh God, are a great king and I desire to live a life with you. Amen.

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

Romans 3:22-23

All Have Sinned

Every person is a sinner. Sometimes we forget this. We hold people to an unattainable standard. The world worships famous people: actors, athletes, Hollywood stars, etc. Then, when they fail or say the wrong thing, they are done. It is all or nothing. They either worship you or hate you. In Christian culture, we can get caught up in treating people the same way. We hold pastors, ministers, Christian artists, etc. to a high standard, and then when they fail, and they will, we show little grace.

Now, there needs to be standards, don’t get me wrong, but what if we started with ourselves, and held ourselves to God’s standards? What if we lived by His words, His standards, His actions? Then, when people fail us, we would show them grace and love instead of condemnation. We need to remember that no one is exempt from sin except for Christ. He was the only one who was perfect. Romans 3:10b says, “None is righteous, no, not one.” We must remember this when dealing with people. If we do not want others to treat us with condemnation, then we must treat them with the same respect. God is the only judge.

A Prayer to Remember

Dear Lord,
You are a righteous and trustworthy judge. May I leave the judging to you and love others the way you love them. Amen.