the grace & love of our king

There are people who believe that it is rules that get us into the Kingdom of Heaven, rules that reunite us with God. They strictly and sternly believe that if they obey all the commandments—even if there is no real personal faith involved—God will save them because he has to, because, of course, they followed the rules. Well, I’ll tell you flat-out, they’re wrong. Our growing faith—as well as our salvation—does not revolve around good deeds or charitable actions, but on the love and grace of Jesus, and our personal relationship with him. It is love and grace from God that reunites us with the Almighty Creator, not good works; it’s the blazing passion in our soul that brings us closer to God, and gives us salvation. It is not the good works or humane deeds that count, but our relationship with the awesome Son of God (good deeds—acts of love for both God and people—are trademarks of Christians, trademarks of lovers and followers of God; while it is not good works that get us into heaven, while it’s not good works that make us right with God, good works will come if we are truly in love with and following God; as Paul put it, faith without works is dead)! Good deeds equal nothing without Jesus. It’s the sheer grace that God gives us that bring us to his doorstep, and he opens wide for us the door into salvation! With his grace he erases all we’ve ever done, forgets it as far as the east is from the west, and gives us a second chance, and so much more. The love we have from God is not accessed by good deeds, nor hindered by terrible pasts. It is an unconditional love: it is unqualified, totally unrestricted, unreserved, absolute love! Nothing we do nor have done nor will do can increase or decrease God’s love for us! His love ‘colors outside the lines’!

His love is so great that we can’t fear our past lives getting in the way; they are gone and destroyed, nothing but ashes scattered by the wind, forgotten by God—literally (when God forgives us of our sins, he literally chooses to forget our sins, and remember our sins no more!). Now we are free—truly free—to work for God and reap harvests of supernatural blessings! Satan will try to pull us away from God, declaring that because of our black past, we cannot be used by God. What putrid lies! At the extreme, God used a serial killer and murderer of Christians to preach the Gospel even more powerful than John the Baptist did; he chose a murderer to lead his people out of slavery in Egypt! His name was Saul of Tarsus—also known as Paul; and the infamous Moses. Jesus erased their pasts of wicked sin, gave them a second start, and used them to change the world! With God all things are possible! God can use any one of us in any way he desires! Our past is gone, and forever will be; we are a ‘new creation’, and able to live fully for the Glory of God! Don’t let your pitfalls, burnouts and dives into sin in your past slow you down for Jesus. He doesn’t remember what you did! You’re forgiven! Why do I keep stressing this? Simply because as humans we can never really grasp the very idea of this forgiveness: a forgiveness so huge, mystical, heavenly and complete that our past literally does not exist to God! He literally forgets! If we were to ask God now what we did three years back, he’d shrug and reply, “How would I know? You’re forgiven!” Being a failure, being a nobody, means bull with Jesus. He can change you—and if you let him, he will. You could be the next Saul of Tarsus, and change the world forever!
But you’ll need Jesus’ help, and you’ll need it bad. Coupled with his forgiveness and love, you’re halfway there, and guaranteed eventual passage. Just keep up the pace, push harder and harder, and keep your balance, so you don’t trip and fall; but most of all, cling onto God—cling to Jesus—with every step you take. You’re loved more than you can imagine; an intimate love that invades your soul and squeezes your heart. You’re forgiven! Now you can truly stride forward… and finish the race!