MERCY & GRACE—The LORD’S COMPASSIONATE GIFT!
- What parts of our lives need to be transformed—changed?
- What parts of our lives seem to be out of sorts—with God?
- How intentional are we in our lives to be at rest—receiving God’s gift of Sabbath rest?
The LORD said to His prophet Ezekiel—
“So I took them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.
(Ezekiel 20: 10-11 NASB)
I gave them My statues and informed them of My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live.“
Consider our answers to these questions:
- As we look backward upon our lives, can we honestly say we have experienced God’s Sabbath found within His Saving Grace?
- As we look back upon our years, can we see times when we were trapped in slavery, unable to escape by our own will?
- As we look back upon our moments, can we see how we wandered throughout our lives, meandering from this place to that, hopeful we would eventually find our path?
“Also I gave them My sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.
(Ezekiel 20: 12-13 NASB)
But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness.
They did not walk in My statutes and they rejected My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live;
and My sabbaths they greatly profaned.
Then I resolved to pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness, to annihilate them.”
Consider our answers to these questions:
- Do we know what it is to receive a gift we can never earn?
- Do we know what it is to receive a gift we do not deserve?
- Do we know what it is like to be totally, 100% changed—transformed completely from inside out?
- Do we know what it means to fully receive God’s Amazing Mercy & His Precious Grace?
“But I acted for the sake of My name, . . .”
(Ezekiel 20: 14a & 15 NASB)
“Also I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands,”
- Different situations lead us to God.
- Different relationships lead us to God.
- Different life-events lead us to God.
The TRUTH remains:
- There is a land prepared for those who Accept, Believe, & Confess their sins—Receive Jesus as Lord!
- There is a place reserved for those who reject the Lord’s MERCY & GRACE—The LORD’S COMPASSIONATE GIFT of HIS SALVATION!
There is not a single person alive on this planet who does not need the LORD.
- There is no one alive now, who will be born in the days to come, or who lived years ago—who could escape their decision: What will I do with Jesus?
This question comes to every man, woman, boy, and girl.
- Almighty God, in His compassion to the disobedient children of Israel offered His Mercy & Grace to their children & to their children’s children.
- Almighty God made the way for their generations to receive.
“Yet My eye spared them rather than destroying them, and I did not cause their annihilation in the wilderness.
(Ezekiel 20: 17-20 NASB)
I said to their children in the wilderness,
‘Do not walk in the statues of your fathers or keep their ordinances or defile yourselves with idols.
I am the LORD your God;
walk in My statutes
and keep My ordinances
and observe them.
Sanctify My sabbaths;
and they shall be a sign between Me and you,
that you may know that I am the LORD your God.”
- What parts of our lives need to be transformed—changed?
- What parts of our lives seem to be out of sorts—with God?
- How intentional are we in our lives to be at rest—receiving God’s gift of Sabbath rest?
- How intentional are we in our lives to be “less busy” & to share the Gospel with another who has not yet heard?
- How intentional will we be TODAY to share our testimony of how Jesus met us right where we were, wandering in our wilderness to lead us into His Promised Land?
MERCY & GRACE—The LORD’S COMPASSIONATE GIFT!