Friday, March 2, 2012

+DEV+ By Grace: To Stand and to Fall

Date: March 2, 2012 3:32 AM
Topic: +DEV+  By Grace: To Stand and to Fall

By Grace: To Stand and to Fall

 "If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself." (Galatians 6:3)
Scripture Focus: Luke 18:10-14

Are you aware of how much you need God's grace every moment of every day? As you walk through the minutes and hours of your life, you make momentous decisions about whom and what you will worship, often without much thought or care. Many times each day, you will either turn toward God in faith and trust to worship Him, or you will sell your soul to the god of that moment, the idol you think you must appease to get what you want.

If you stand in the moment of temptation and resist the tones of the tempter, you will need the gospel to survive your own obedience. You need to know that your goodness is not your own - it is a gift from God - or you will become proud of your obedience and sink into self-worship. If you fail miserably and sin badly, you need the gospel. Remember that your sin is your own fault, but it has been paid for in full. Your sin is buried in the fountain of redeeming blood and every act of obedience performed by your Savior, Jesus Christ, is credited to you! Through grace you stand, and when you fall, it's into His gracious arms you go.

Insight: "Believers dare not ascribe anything to themselves, gladly acknowledging [defeat] if Jesus had not been their Savior, shepherd, and shield." (John Newton)

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