Believe: Week 3: Don’t Ruin Grace!
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 3: Salvation by Grace!”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Just stop.
Stop ruining grace.
What do I mean?
We ruin grace when we think you can earn grace. You can’t.
If you could, it would no longer be grace.
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
Here’s a strong statement…but let me explain: Christmas ruins grace.
At least American celebration of it. Why? Because about a month before Christmas parents start telling their children, “If you’re naughty, Santa won’t bring you any presents. If you’re nice, he will.”
What is the conclusion of millions of kids on Christmas morning as they rip open gifts? “I must have been pretty nice to get this gift.”
If you do Santa with your kids, tell them the truth. If you don’t want to tell them Santa isn’t real, then at least tell them on Christmas morning, “Good job, you were nice more than naughty so Santa is paying you what you earned.”
Clunky? I know (better yet, consider removing Santa from your Christmas celebration.)
But it messes up the REAL GIFT of Christmas – the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
A gift is not earned. A gift is not deserved. A gift is not a payment.
A gift is initiated in the heart of the giver and is given REGARDLESS of behavior, REGARDLESS of performance, REGARDLESS of whether it is deserved.
“Because of his GREAT love for us, God who is rich in mercy…” GAVE you a Savior. You didn’t earn it by being a Christian. You didn’t deserve it more than someone else. You don’t even get credit for choosing to receive the gift.
It is all God. It is ALL a gift. Because it is all grace.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
Maybe I just ruined Santa for you. Sorry.
But I don’t want Santa, or anyone or anything else ruin grace.
I know we’re a few months out from Christmas, but why not reimagine Christmas morning? Instead of excitement over what “Santa brought,” why not excitement over what God GAVE you and the gifts we give to our kids and to each other are a wonderful reminder of Gods UNDESERVED gift to us.
Let grace be grace. Thoroughly enjoy it. It’s God’s GIFT to you!
Apply: How does your sinful nature like to think that in some way you deserve God’s grace? How can Ephesians 2:8-9 refocus our hearts?
Prayer: Lord, forgive me for ruining grace by thinking I can earn your favor or deserve your love. I don’t. I thank you for loving me so much that you were and are willing to give me your love, forgiveness and place in heaven simply because you love me. AMEN.
Believe: Week 3: Powerful Three Letter Word
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 3: Salvation by Grace!”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
But…
Three letters, but a powerful conjunction.
As a language professor quipped in Seminary, “If you master the prepositions and conjunctions, you will master the language. Why? Because prepositions and conjunctions communicate the relationship between one part of a sentence to another or one section of a paragraph to another (OK, enough for the language lesson today!)
Ephesians 2:4-10 is one of my favorite sections of the Bible because it starts with the conjunction, “But.” It is easy to read past this, but please do not. It sets up the contrast of verses 1-3 and what follows. Remember yesterday verses 1-3 remind us that we are “dead in sin” and “objects of God’s wrath.” I’m glad God didn’t stop there. There is not much hope at the end of verse 3.
BUT…
Read this slowly:
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Did you notice WHO is acting on behalf of WHO?
God is the prime mover in this setting. “God, … made us alive…” “God, raised us up with Christ and seated us with him…” “…it is the gift of God…”
Did you notice WHY God acts on our behalf?
God doesn’t say, “Because of your great attempt to follow my law…” He doesn’t say, “Because you’ve followed me for a very long time.” He doesn’t say, “Because you are better than most in loving me.” He doesn’t say, “You’ve been really good recently.” He DOES say, “because of his great love for us.”
The sole motivator for God to act on our behalf IS his GREAT LOVE for us, because he is rich in mercy.
Did you notice WHAT happens when God acts?
Our dead soul is given spiritual life.
Our status as “objects of wrath” is now “receiver of God’s mercy”
Our eternity of condemnation is now one of salvation.
This is grace.
Grace stands in stark contrast to what our sin deserves.
That’s why I love the little word, “but.”
My sin deserves death, BUT God’s love and grace gives me life.
This is God’s grace for YOU!
Apply: What stands out to you in these verses? How does it affect your understanding of grace?
Prayer: Lord Jesus thank you for loving me even though I give many reasons for you not to. I trust and rely on your grace today and always. AMEN.
Believe Week 3: What is Your Biggest Problem?
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 3: Salvation by Grace!”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
What do you think the biggest problem our world and/or country is facing right now?
Is it the pandemic? Is it border crisis? Is it hunger? Is it terrorism? Is it abortion?
Does the world need new medicines? Our country need a wall? Humanitarian efforts or military efforts?
All of these are legitimate issues. All of these are occupying individual’s time and attention to try to solve or curtail.
But are they the world’s biggest problem?
Are they YOUR biggest problem?
Do we know what our biggest problem is?
You can’t find a solution to a problem you don’t know you have. In fact you won’t be looking for a solution if you don’t know what the problem is!
We can spend a lot of time trying to fix and find solutions for surface issues and we really never find the true issue.
It’s time to get to the heart of the world’s biggest problem, our country’s biggest problem, your biggest problem and my biggest problem.
What is it?
Ephesians 2:1-4 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
The biggest problem we have…I have…is sin and it’s life-killing, wrath-deserving nature that it holds. Our biggest problem is a broken relationship with a perfect, almighty, just God who hates sin and in his justice must punish sin.
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—
We can make vaccines that may or may not work. We can build walls. We can gather food. We can send drones against terror targets. We can make laws to curb abortion. But we can’t solve the sin problem on our own.
Since Adam and Eve first broke God’s command, a sin nature has been passed down to each one of us. It’s affects are obvious:
Galatians 5:19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.
Its consequence is dire:
Galatians 5:20 I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
We must not ignore the seriousness of sin. We must not minimize its consequence. We must seek a solution…one that truly works. This week we will…there is good news ahead!
Apply: God promises he is faithful to forgive as we confess our sins to him. Take time today to recognize your sin and confess it to God.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for being clear on your standards, consistent in your justice, and forgiving in your nature. Lead me to see my sin, to repent, and seek your mercy. Thank you for providing a solution for sin…lead me to rediscover it this week! AMEN.
BELIEVE: Week 2 “How do I really know God cares?”
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 2: God is Personal God!”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
A few weeks ago we observed as a nation the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks on the twin towers, the Pentagon, and those that aborted another attack in Pennsylvania. The senseless loss of life caused by the terrorists was overshadowed by the heroism of every-day Americans stepping up to serve fellow human beings. Passengers on a plane sacrificed their life to prevent another target from being struck. Hundreds of first responders hustled up the stairs of the twin towers to rescue those trapped by the fires as hundreds rushed down. People who didn’t know each other paused to help someone get out safely. Strangers gave up their life for strangers. Why? Because they cared.
They were willing to put their life on the line to care for the life of another.
How much greater has God done the same for us.
If there is ever a question if God cares for you or personally has a vested interest in you, simply consider this:
Romans 8:31-32 “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
In logic, it’s the argument from the greater to the lesser.
If a bulldozer can move a 10-ton rock, it can also move a 5-ton rock.
If God cared about you to give up his only Son for the benefit of your salvation, he also cares for you enough to care for your daily needs.
The life, death and resurrection of Jesus is the greatest example of God’s love and care for you.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
So as we wrap up the week, remember the key truths from this week:
- God always gives you what is good, even if it’s not what you want.
- God’s plan is always perfect, even if it’s not my preference.
- God cares about me, even when I don’t think he does.
God is a personal God who loves you deeply and cares for you immensely!
Apply: Perhaps write your favorite verse or the summary of the key points on a card and put them in a place to remind you when you feel like God doesn’t care.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for caring enough to secure my salvation in Jesus. Knowing you cared enough to have me in heaven gives me confidence you will care enough to give me what is good every day. AMEN.
PS: I would like to start a new segment for the daily devotions and use Friday’s to address a question you the reader may have or address a current event of the week from a Biblical perspective. Please feel free to email me at pastor@crossandcrowntx.com to share a thought or topic you’d like to have a devotion written for or about. Thanks! God bless!
BELIEVE Week 2: I don’t think God cares.
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 2: God is Personal God!”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
“You don’t care about me!”
I think every parent who has earned their badge as parent has heard their child say this at least at one point in their life. Usually this phrase comes out when a child is sent to bed early as discipline, car keys are taken away from a teenager, or a middle school daughter isn’t allowed to go out on a date with a boy you don’t even know.
Their perception? You as a parent don’t care about them.
Translation… “You didn’t give me what I wanted and therefore I conclude you don’t care about me.”
Which is exactly the opposite, right?
You care enough to discipline.
You care enough to keep your teenager safe.
You care enough to know who is hanging out with your kids.
You care because you love your kids more than they will ever know.
You care even when your kids don’t think you do. Because that’s what loving parents do for their kids.
The same is true for our loving God.
He cares about us, even when we don’t think he does.
We can be like the child who THINKS God doesn’t care because we don’t get what we want from God, but in reality God’s perspective is giving us what we need and showing us that he cares.
I get that sometimes it feels like God doesn’t care. When we feel all alone. When we fear the future because the present is changing. When we are hurting and it seems like those that should care don’t.
God does care about you, even when you don’t think he does.
How do I know? Consider these promises:
God says, “Give your worries and cares to me. Don’t try to carry them on your own.”
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
God says, “I will never abandon you. I am always there, even if it feels like I am not.”
Romans 8:38-39 I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God says, “I care about you enough to give you always what is best for you.”
James 1:16-17 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters, Every good and perfect fit is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shift shadows.
There will be a next time it feels like God doesn’t care. But in the moment remember, God cares for you, even when you don’t think he does!
Apply: When have you felt like God didn’t care? As you look back, how did you realize God cared for you in that moment?
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for forgiving me when I question your care for me. Thank you for your love that always cares, even when I don’t think you are or realize you are. AMEN.