Grace: God’s Second Chance

Romans 5:1-6

Scripture records a grim picture of mankind: dead in our sins, under God’s wrath, and subject to eternal separation from Him (Eph. 2:1-3). Through the cross, He gives us a second chance to be in a loving relationship with Him. When we place our faith in Christ, He pours out His unconditional love—His grace—upon us.

Because of grace, we have been justified by faith. Justification is a declaration by God that we are not guilty in His sight. At salvation, Jesus’ death on the cross is counted as payment for our sins. All our disobedience—past, present, and future—is fully forgiven.

The means of obtaining this pardon is through genuine faith in Jesus Christ. What does that look like? It’s a faith that accepts the Lord’s judgment that we are sinners who are unable to rescue ourselves and in need of a Savior. It believes that Jesus paid for our sins through His death, that God accepted His payment on our behalf, and that we are forgiven and made part of His family. If we have true faith, we’ll give Him our allegiance and wholeheartedly seek to serve Him.

Grace also gives us peace with the Lord. Before salvation, we were His enemies, under a sentence of eternal death. But after trusting in Christ, we were adopted into God’s family and have His favor forever.

Through grace, we have been given a second chance. Instead of receiving the eternal punishment we deserved, we’re given acceptance through faith in Christ (Rom. 15:7) and have become members of God’s family (8:15). Make full use of this second opportunity by passionately pursuing Him.

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Falling in Love With Jesus

Psalm 63

When we fall in love, we want to spend time with the object of our affection and willingly give our attention to the relationship. Falling in love with Jesus should be no different, but believers often hurry through Bible reading and prayer. The result is a superficial faith kept alive by habit rather than worship. To attain lasting intimacy, we must approach God with a sense of purpose and determination.

Purpose. “Now set your heart and your soul to seek the lord your God,” King David advised the leaders of Israel (1 Chron. 22:19). Believers must choose whether to pursue God or chase after idols. If we desire intimacy with Him, it is necessary for us to approach the spiritual disciplines purposefully. Before opening Scripture, ask the Lord what He wants to say to you. Pray to understand His ways—He loves answering that request. And enter church with the intention of taking home a new truth from the Lord.

Determination. Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently,” Isaiah told Yahweh (Isa. 26:9). But even when we do not feel like putting time into our relationship with Christ, we must determine to do so. A revelation from God won’t come every day, but a believer need not despair. Those who diligently seek the Savior experience His presence frequently in their worship.

Getting to know Jesus brings pure joy into a believer’s life. However, we must be willing to offer Him prime time, not our leftover minutes. Giving God attention and spending time with Him is one way to show Him we love Him. God gives us His best; we should put forth no less in return.

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Salvation is to be found through him alone...

who, existing in the form of God,

did not consider equality with God

as something to be used for His own advantage.

 Instead He emptied Himself

by assuming the form of a slave,

taking on the likeness of men.

And when He had come as a man

in His external form,

 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient

to the point of death—

even to death on a cross.

 For this reason God highly exalted Him

and gave Him the name

that is above every name,

 so that at the name of Jesus

every knee will bow—

of those who are in heaven and on earth

and under the earth—

and every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:6-11

Do not worry.

Matthew 6:27
Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
Luke 12:22
 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.
Matthew 6:33
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

The LORD watches over you--

To You I Do Lift Up My Eyes

A Song of Ascents. To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the LORD our God, Until He is gracious to us. Be gracious to us, O LORD, be gracious to us...

Psalm 123:1-3

 Confidence in God under contempt. - Our Lord Jesus has taught us to look unto God in prayer as our Father in heaven. In every prayer a good man lifts up his soul to God; especially when in trouble. We desire mercy from him; we hope he will show us mercy, and we will continue waiting on him till it come. The eyes of a servant are to his master's directing hand, expecting that he will appoint him his work. And also to his supplying hand. Servants look to their master or their mistress for their portion of meat in due season. And to God we must look for daily bread, for grace sufficient; from him we must receive it thankfully. Where can we look for help but to our Master? And, further, to his protecting hand. If the servant is wronged and injured in his work, who should right him, but his master? And to his correcting hand. Whither should sinners turn but to him that smote them? They humble themselves (ourselves) under God's mighty hand. And lastly, to his rewarding hand. Hypocrites look to the world's hand, thence they have their reward; but true Christians look to God as their Master and their Rewarder. God's people find little mercy with men; but this is their comfort, that with the Lord there is mercy. Scorning and contempt have been, are, and are likely to be, the lot of God's people in this world. It is hard to bear; but the servants of God should not complain if they are treated as his beloved Son was. Let us then, when ready to faint under trials, look unto Jesus, and by faith and prayer cast ourselves upon the mercy of God.


Matthew Henry

http://biblehub.com/psalms/123-2.htm

Taste and See the Lord is Good

Psalm 34:7-9

…The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them. O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! O fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want.…

Psalm 119:103
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Proverbs 16:20
Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD.

Jeremiah 17:7
"But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him


 If we hope to spend eternity in praising God, it is fit that we should spend much of our time here in this work. He never said to any one, Seek ye me in vain. David's prayers helped to silence his fears; many besides him have looked unto the Lord by faith and prayer, and it has wonderfully revived and comforted them. When we look to the world, we are perplexed, and at a loss. But on looking to Christ depends our whole salvation, and all things needful thereunto do so also. This poor man, whom no man looked upon with any respect, or looked after with any concern, was yet welcome to the throne of grace; the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The holy angels minister to the saints, and stand for them against the powers of darkness. All the glory be to the Lord of the angels. By taste and sight we both make discoveries, and have enjoyment; Taste and see God's goodness; take notice of it, and take the comfort of it. He makes all truly blessed that trust in him. As to the things of the other world, they shall have grace sufficient for the support of spiritual life. And as to this life, they shall have what is necessary from the hand of God. Paul had all, and abounded, because he was content, Php 4:11-18. Those who trust to themselves, and think their own efforts sufficient for them, shall want; but they shall be fed who trust in the Lord. Those shall not want, who with quietness work, and mind their own business. (Psalm34:1-10)

Matthew Henry

http://biblehub.com/commentaries/mhc/psalms/34.htm

The First Commandment with a Promise

1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.…- Ephesians 6:1-3

The great duty of children is, to obey their parents. That obedience includes inward reverence, as well as outward acts, and in every age prosperity has attended those distinguished for obedience to parents. The duty of parents. Be not impatient; use no unreasonable severities. Deal prudently and wisely with children; convince their judgements and work upon their reason. Bring them up well; under proper and compassionate correction; and in the knowledge of the duty God requires. Often is this duty neglected, even among professors of the gospel. Many set their children against religion; but this does not excuse the children's disobedience, though it may be awfully occasion it. God alone can change the heart, yet he gives his blessing to the good lessons and examples of parents, and answers their prayers. But those, whose chief anxiety is that their children should be rich and accomplished, whatever becomes of their souls, must not look for the blessing of God.


Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

http://biblehub.com/ephesians/6-2.htm

God Does Listen

John 9:31
We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.
Job 35:13
Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea; the Almighty pays no attention to it.
Psalm 18:41
They cried for help, but there was no one to save them-- to the LORD, but he did not answer.
Psalm 145:18
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Psalm 145:19
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
Proverbs 1:28
"Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me,
Proverbs 15:8
The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

Our faith can move mountains...

Matthew 7:7

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock

 and the door will be opened to you.

1 John 3:22

and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his

commands and do what pleases him.


Matthew 21:22

…21And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to

 you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do 

what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this

 mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will 

happen. 22"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you 

will receive."

John 14:13

 And whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do...