GOD is not some tyrant, some dictator. every basic problem of man comes down to a misunderstanding of who GOD is and what HIS relationship is to us. in psalm 103.14 (niv) david says, for HE knows how we are formed, HE remembers that we are dust. williams’ translation: ‘GOD says, ‘I know you're human.’”
paul understood this concept and through the new testament, paul's testimony was this, “by the grace of GOD, i'm not what i used to be and by the grace of GOD, i am what i am, and by the grace of GOD, i'm not what i'm going to be.” paul understood that GOD was working in his life at every stage of the game and he didn't have to bat a thousand to please. all he had to do was respond to GOD's grace in faith.
that's what we tried to do in the last church i pastored before I retired. at harvest our goal was to grow in grace together. we didn’t say we've got it all together. we didn’t try to say we were perfect. the truth is if you ever find a perfect church, don't join it. then it won't be perfect any more. churches are made up of imperfect people.
perfectionism. it's a burden on our lives. JESUS said HE didn't intend for us to go with a heavy burden through life, always feeling throughout your entire CHRISTian life that you never measure up, that no matter what you do, GOD never smiles at you. that's not in the bible. GOD says, “I love you unconditionally and I accept you as you are. I love you too much to let you stay that way, but I love you as you are and will make the changes in your life if you’ll let ME.
accept the grace of GOD. grow in the grace of GOD.
just a thought from the front porch…
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