A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Thursday,
September 2,
2021
At the time
we prepare to post this message we have had about 7 inches
of rain from Hurricane Ida according to our rain gauge!
Thankfully the rain is slowing down and projected to end
during the night. Here's our flooded front lawn late
yesterday afternoon. Since it's lower than our house it
doesn't really affect us although we sure have thick grass
in this area!
"I
Got Saved!"
Message summary: Amazing grace transforms the vilest offender to one pardoned and restored.
Listen to this message on your audio player.
"Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the LORD" (Isaiah 26:10). "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).
There
is a river of gladness
That pours from Emmanuel's veins
This sinner was plunged beneath the flood
And got saved
That pours from Emmanuel's veins
This sinner was plunged beneath the flood
And got saved
Yesterday
we mentioned we have a new kitten we named Grace. When we
call her name it will be a good way to remember one of
God's attributes. When we got married in 1976 we named our
first dog Enoch, the last pet we had whose name originated
from a biblical character!
Fifty
years ago I (Stephen) got saved as a sixteen year old in
August 1971. I went to a meeting at the old Municipal
Auditorium in Kansas City MO. Lowell Lundstrom, an
evangelist, preached the Gospel. I responded and became a
recipient of God's amazing grace. I got saved!
Our daily verse presents an interesting and often overlooked Biblical truth concerning grace. "Grace is shown to the wicked". The grace of the almighty God of the universe is abundantly demonstrated in His loving care to our world, even to the most vile. Theologically speaking this is referred to as "common grace".
This demonstration of common grace goes on moment by moment in a multitude of ways to all, even the vilest offender; the air we breathe, the livable climatic conditions, food and water. Even the most ardent unbeliever and professed atheist is a recipient of this grace, however stridently he may deny it. Consider what this world would look like in the next 5 seconds if God removed all the oxygen from the air? (See below for link to video) Jesus expresses this concept of common grace when He told His listeners that God "causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matthew 5:45).
Special grace, on the other hand, is the grace by which God redeems, sanctifies, and glorifies Himself through His people. This special demonstration of grace is extended to us through Jesus for our eternal salvation: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9). This special grace is available exclusively for those who earnestly believe in Jesus and accept His gift of salvation. This gift of grace far exceeds the worth of all other common grace gifts given to us by God! It has eternal ramifications.
Unbelief and ingratitude have blinded many to this marvelous grace so that the vast majority of the world's peoples "do not learn righteousness" made visible in those walking in His grace. In our New Testament understanding they reject God's grace through Jesus Christ. "They go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord." Is this not a picture of so many?
How do we, as God's chosen people, regard the grace of God today? The Scriptures state, "The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good" (Titus 2:11-14). That is the nature of God's amazing grace; transforming the vilest offender to one that is pardoned and restored.
* Let us thank God for His amazing grace and never cease to be amazed by it.
* Let us "learn righteousness" and live our life in a manner that pleases Him.
* Let us regard the majesty of the Lord and reverently declare His praises daily.
Our daily verse presents an interesting and often overlooked Biblical truth concerning grace. "Grace is shown to the wicked". The grace of the almighty God of the universe is abundantly demonstrated in His loving care to our world, even to the most vile. Theologically speaking this is referred to as "common grace".
This demonstration of common grace goes on moment by moment in a multitude of ways to all, even the vilest offender; the air we breathe, the livable climatic conditions, food and water. Even the most ardent unbeliever and professed atheist is a recipient of this grace, however stridently he may deny it. Consider what this world would look like in the next 5 seconds if God removed all the oxygen from the air? (See below for link to video) Jesus expresses this concept of common grace when He told His listeners that God "causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matthew 5:45).
Special grace, on the other hand, is the grace by which God redeems, sanctifies, and glorifies Himself through His people. This special demonstration of grace is extended to us through Jesus for our eternal salvation: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9). This special grace is available exclusively for those who earnestly believe in Jesus and accept His gift of salvation. This gift of grace far exceeds the worth of all other common grace gifts given to us by God! It has eternal ramifications.
Unbelief and ingratitude have blinded many to this marvelous grace so that the vast majority of the world's peoples "do not learn righteousness" made visible in those walking in His grace. In our New Testament understanding they reject God's grace through Jesus Christ. "They go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord." Is this not a picture of so many?
How do we, as God's chosen people, regard the grace of God today? The Scriptures state, "The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good" (Titus 2:11-14). That is the nature of God's amazing grace; transforming the vilest offender to one that is pardoned and restored.
* Let us thank God for His amazing grace and never cease to be amazed by it.
* Let us "learn righteousness" and live our life in a manner that pleases Him.
* Let us regard the majesty of the Lord and reverently declare His praises daily.
I've
received nothing but goodness
I've tested and tasted Your grace
I was so lost
'Til I fell at the cross
And got saved
Oh, I got saved
I've tested and tasted Your grace
I was so lost
'Til I fell at the cross
And got saved
Oh, I got saved
Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, Your abundant grace is poured
out on humankind like showers of blessings, both for
believer and unbeliever alike. Yet it is only as we
appropriate Your saving grace that we turn away from
evil and walk in the ways of righteousness. Many
leaders and rulers have come and gone, but You,
Father, are the eternal One whose Kingdom knows no
end. We humble ourselves in the light of Your
majesty as we bring honor to Your holy name and live
as a people who are eager to do what is good. Amen.Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"50 Countries Sing Amazing Grace ALL OVER the WORLD" Video Amazing whoever put this together! A comments states, "My heart was flooded with love for all of my precious family all over the world. How I wish everyone would come to know our Jesus! Thank you for this incredible message!"
"I
Got Saved" Video Selah
"50 Countries Sing Amazing Grace ALL OVER the WORLD" Video Amazing whoever put this together! A comments states, "My heart was flooded with love for all of my precious family all over the world. How I wish everyone would come to know our Jesus! Thank you for this incredible message!"
"Turn
Your Eyes Upon Jesus (Amazing Grace)"
Video
Shane and Shane
"Believe
For It" Video CeCe Winans
What is common grace?
(from gotquestions.org)
What
If the World Lost Oxygen for Five
Seconds? from the whatif youtube
channel
Send
a message to Stephen
& Brooksyne
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Weber".Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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