| |
|
Good
Monday Mornin!
"But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is
by grace you have been saved." "For it is by grace you have been
saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God
- not by works, so that no one can boast." (The Apostle Paul in his
letter to the Ephesians church)
I went riding this weekend, and when I got back to the parking lot there
was
a guy there that I was talking to. We were leaning on the back of my truck
and he noticed I had a pair of buddy stirrups in the back of my truck.
(Buddy stirrups are for kids riding with their parents) When he saw them
he
said he needed a pair of those and was a using them, I said no and told
him
he could have them. I really didn't even know how they got in my truck,
and
haven't used them in years. But when I told him he could have them he just
said, "No, never mind, I pay for what I get." I told him over
and over again
he could have them and he just insisted over and over again that he wanted
them but would pay for them.
Finally I asked him how much a new set was, he said around fifty dollars,
I
said okay then give me ten, or five? He thought for a second and handed me
a
twenty! I thought, "WOW! What a moron!" First I was going to
give the things
to the guy, then I was going to let him have them for five bucks when he
was
insistent to pay for them, and then he just hands me a twenty?!? What is
up
with that?
Why is it that we have such a hard time accepting something for free? Why
is
it that when someone offers us something we feel like we must pay for it,
or
give them something in return? It is a strange thing if you think about
it.
My grandfather would not accept a knife unless he paid for it. Why? What
is
the big deal about receiving something for free? I can tell you...
original
sin.
When Adam and Eve decided in the garden that they would take the fruit
from
the tree, they decided so much more than what their stomach desired, they
decided that they knew what was best for them, therefore they did not need
anyone telling them what to do, therefore they did not need anyone but
themselves. Therefore, they became independent.
Think about it. How uncomfortable is it to go to someone's house at
Christmas and they have bought you a gift and you did not get them a
thing?
You want to crawl under the table right? It is a hardwired thing inside of
us that says, "if someone gives you something ( love, kindness ect...)
you
give them something back". But think about this, what do you give the
guy
who already has everything?
So along comes God, and all He wants to do is to lavish His love, grace
and
forgiveness on you and I, and we slap Him in the face with feeble self
righteous deeds and religious rituals that we feel will please Him because
of what He has done for us. But hey, what's the big deal right? I mean
surely God doesn't mind us doing good things for Him right? Well that begs
me to ask you a question. What if your kids acted that way?
What if you loved your kids unconditionally, never wanted or asked them to
earn your love, but yet they constantly gave you things obviously trying
to
please you and earn your love. How would you feel? I know how I would
feel,
I would feel like my love was not enough for them, like they were trying
to
earn the "next level" of my love.
Think about this, what am I going to give to God that He does not already
have? My goodness! He is God! If He wants a church He will plant one, if
He
wants money He will get some, if He needs to get any job that you can
imagine done He can get it done He is God! You and I cannot give Him
anything He needs! He is GOD!!!
Guys listen, God's love for you through Jesus is free. There is not a
charge,
there is nothing you can do to get the "next level" of love. He
don't care
how much religion you practice, or how many good deeds you do, He loves
you
for nothing. Out of that love comes church going, giving, doing, pouring
out
of self, but not to earn His love, but as the effect of His love.
Why is this so important? Because until you have accepted this
unconditional
love of the true God, you are serving and living under a tyrant God
that
demands things of you and that is not at all the God of the Bible, the
Father of Jesus Christ. Live in the freedom of God's perfect,
unconditional
love and then you will be free indeed!
I love you guys, have a great week!
Pastor Jason Lyle
The Open Range Church of Henry County
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those
who
believe and are saved.
Hebrews 10:39
|
|
