2 Corinthians 8:9
The bible declares that while ye were yet sinners Christ died for you… This passage should serve as a daily reminder that Jesus Christ is the reason for our existence and hope for our Eternal lives… It bothers me to know end when someone wants to receive credit for something that they did not do and today’s devotion reminds us that we cannot fall into this trap… Paul starts off by saying ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ… You have experienced God’s favor; you have felt His presence and you know that He is life… You know that it wasn't anything that you did, but that His grace (unmerited favor) is the very reason that, though he was rich, ye for your sakes he became poor… Just knowing the sacrifice that Christ made for you should be enough to drive you towards a position of humility and should also provide you with a source of strength when times seems too hard to handle… I don’t know about you, but knowing what Jesus did lets me know that I am special and allows me to transform my mind so that I think with a positive outlook on life knowing the simple fact that Christ didn’t have to do it… When we are of this world we ignore the ransom that was paid on Calvary, we turn a deaf ear to the times in which Jesus cried out from the cross and we pay no attention to the love that was shown through Him and His Father… Paul writes this letter to the Church of Corinth to reassure them of the love that God has for us… When things are hard, when things don’t seem to add up or when you feel like you are at the end of your rope; remember the sacrifice that was made, remember that it is a privilege to even bare the wait of these situations knowing that it is only by the GRACE of God that we are even here today… See, so many of us complain about the rigors of life; however, I haven’t found one person who would rather be dead in and hell where things will be unimaginable worse…
This is the grace that Paul is speaking about… The grace we have experienced in our lives is the purest form of grace knowing that things can always be worse… Instead of complaining about riding the bus to work, understand the grace that God has given you to provide you a means of transportation to work… Instead of complaining about living check to check, understand the grace the God has bestowed upon your life to have a check come to you every two weeks… Grace is something given that isn’t deserved or warranted… Paul reminds us that the life we have today is a life made possible by the grace dispensed by God through His son Jesus Christ… The bottom line of this message today is that you did not nor do you deserve to even be here today… Often times we get things confused as to being entitled to the life that we have, Paul’s message to the Church of Corinth reminds them that it is only by God’s grace that the church was even establish and we have a chance to inherit Eternal Life… Jesus didn’t need to come to this earth for His benefit, He was already “rich” as Paul states in this passage; however, because of His compassion, because of God’s longing for His creation to come back home He sent His son into the world… Understand that Christ gave up all that He had to save us teaches me to accept whatever comes my way… I have never been as rich as Christ is nor have I ever been as humiliated or disrespected as He was on the cross… Know that He didn’t have to do it, but He did… Learn to accept your situation simply because if God’s grace wasn’t dispensed on your life things would definitely be worse… The next time you feel a pinch know that it is better than being pierced in your side, the next time someone gossips about you, know that is much more tolerable than having a crown of thorns placed upon your head and having people mock you and spit on you…
The next time you feel a have load upon your shoulders think about the weight of all mankind’s sins being placed upon the shoulders of Jesus… The next time you feel alone of as if nobody is in your corner, think about Jesus being separated from His Father for you… Paul’s letter tells us that we can’t give up; it tells us that we can’t give in and that we must remember what Christ has already done for us… I can’t emphasis this enough, things could always be worse, but we are assured that because of His love they won’t be… When life catches you off guard, or you feel like giving up; remember the sacrifice made for you. Remember that Jesus loved us before we could ever even think of who He was or even begin to love ourselves. Remember that He died so that you could live before you were even born or even a thought... Remember that He gave up His heavenly dwelling to become a poverty-stricken being so that you can be rich just as He was and now currently still is. Sacrifice is what has been given by Christ, and sacrifice of your time, talent, and treasures is what He deserves from you. It is not your alarm clock that woke you up, but God’s grace, it isn’t your safe driving that got you to work, but God’s grace, and it isn’t your paycheck that provides love and security to your home and family, but God’s grace… Stay focused on His will and don’t become discouraged when storms seem to rock your foundation, because our hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and HIS righteousness! You may have days when different forms of poverty strikes your house, but know that when your hands are bare, God is just making room for more of His grace to be dispensed upon your life… Don’t give up, don’t give in, keep believing, and keep the faith!!!
ALL FOR HIS GLORY!
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