What do plums and baffling have in common? IF you ask me, NOTHING. This however, is how HE leaves me every time I sit in His presence. I am awed by His grace.
Ephesians 2:8-9Amplified Bible (AMP)
8 For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved ([a]delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;
9 Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]
I mention in Flesh Falling, Spirit Calling how I tend to try and "punish" myself when I miss the mark, let God down, sin against him and how is this a problem. I want to go back to this thought for a brief moment. When we as HIS beloved try and punish ourselves or remove ourselves from His presence, because of sin I think it leads back to an "earning" salvation way of thinking. IF I have to remove myself from Him then I have not acted, strived, fulfilled the law's demands, and I have not earned the "right" to come into His presence.
I am thankful tonight as I am remind by Holy Spirit that I will NEVER be able to work or earn, my place at HIS banqueting table. My place at His side is a GIFT from Him. All of my striving is in vain. His precious blood has redeemed me from the curse of sin and given me the gift of salvation. A gift that by His unmerited favor He has chosen to give to you and I. In Hebrews we learn that it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God without faith. We must put our faith in His everlasting love, and in the truth that the shedding of His blood provided for us a gift of salvation. WE must choose faith in His WAY. A way of humility and gratitude. Faith that there is NOTHING that we can do apart from placing our trust and faith in Christ that can saves us. We are hopeless without this faith. We cannot trust ourselves to bring salvation unto us, we are sinful and wretched and Forever in need of a Savior.
