June 13, 2019
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When one of our kids would be going through a sick spell, I used to tell them they needed to get lots of sleep. That's because (this is what I'd say) "when you're asleep, the good soldiers come out and fight those bad soldiers that are making you sick." Okay come on, it's not advanced microbiology, but it works for me. Actually, one of the amazing things about these bodies God has given us is how our body kicks into action when it's been invaded by an infection. All those antibodies go to work (good soldiers), and those white blood cells start coming out in force. In fact, one way doctors look for infection is to check your blood for the elevated presence of white blood cells. They're multiplying fast when the "bad soldier" germs try to take you out.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Healing Edge."
There's this infection that every human being on this planet is fighting - it's a spiritual infection. This spiritual cancer has a name. It's called "sin" in the Bible, and it can kill your future, your reputation, your marriage, your family, your joy, your closeness to God. And, if it isn't cured, it can ultimately kill you forever by keeping you out of God's heaven.
But for all of us who are carrying this deadly infection inside us, God has some awesome news. He has "good soldiers" that are more powerful than the forces of sin. In Romans 5:20, our word for today from the Word of God, He says, "Where sin increased, grace increased all the more." What an incredible promise! God always has more grace than we have sin, no matter what we've done.
Grace is God's undeserved, unconditional love. We're hung up on trying to do things to please people, to get them to like us, to get them to accept us. But there's nothing you're going to do that's going to impress a sinless, holy, infinite God. But because we're stuck on this "deserving" thing, we're sure God will have nothing to do with us when we've blown it royally. If His love and forgiving is based on our performance, we're done for. But it's not. It's based on His grace, which is all about what He's like and nothing about what you're like. And His sin-fighting agent, called grace, always outruns and outguns human sin. There's more healing grace than there is sinful infection...always.
That doesn't mean you go on sinning so you can abuse God's grace and take advantage of His love. In fact, if you really have Jesus in your heart, you won't be able to indefinitely stand doing the things that He died to keep you from doing. But God's "more grace than there is sin" equation means that there is no one in your life who is beyond God's grace. So keep praying for them, keep loving them. There is no sin that cannot be forgiven...no prodigal who can't come home. And it is never too late to be forgiven. Just look at the dying thief Jesus forgave on the cross in his last moments of his life.
Today could be your personal day to experience that healing grace of God for yourself. No matter what you've done, Jesus died to pay for it and to forgive it, if you'll give yourself to Him - if you'll trust Him to be your personal Rescuer from your personal sin. You don't have to carry the guilt anymore, you don't have to carry the death sentence of your sin one more day. If you want to begin this personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you need to tell Him something like this today. "Jesus, I was made by you. I was made for you. I have lived for me. I'm done with that. I believe you died for the sins I have done against you, and you walked out of your grave. You're alive today and I'm putting all my trust in you to rescue me from my sin. Jesus, I am yours."
I'll tell you, if you say that to Him, the wall between you and God comes down now and you have begun life's most important relationship which is, by the way, what our website is all about. And why I hope you'll go there as soon as you can today - ANewStory.com.
His grace is greater than the sins of a lifetime. That's why it's amazing grace. And it's grace for you.