The Light

 A house built on sand isn’t going to last. Especially when it gets buffeted by a storm.

The bedrock upon which we build our solid foundation;

upon which we build our “house”, i.e.

our relationship with God,

Jesus,

the Holy Spirit,

the Kingdom of God,

other believers,

and unbelievers;

upon which we put our trust and faith,

is the Gospel – the Good News.

If it isn’t Good news, it’s sand.

If it isn’t Good news, it won’t last.

If it isn’t Good news, it won’t sustain,
bolster,
weather,
shelter,
comfort,
abide.

How can anyone put their trust in a house built on such a foundation?

No wonder there is

uncertainty,

fragility,

frustration,

in your walk.

Sure you can buck up, dust off, muster up conviction, push down the doubt, the hurt and the frustration and renew your relationship – recommit yourself – and pile everything back up onto the sand and make another go of it.

Rebuild, so to speak.

It works ok for a while.

Until the next storm.

Since the Gospel is the bedrock for a solid foundation and you need a solid foundation in order to have confidence in your house – your walk;

in order to weather any storm;

banish any doubt;

sooth any hurt;

relieve any frustration;

you need to…

WARNING! DANGER! LOADED WORD ALERT!
PROCEED WITH CAUTION!
(btw: not these lights)

…repent.

Change your mind.

Make a full 180.

Do an about face.

Concerning your perception
and misconception
of God.

King David wrote a song to God that included these words (according to which translation you choose):

“Your love...

“Your unfailing love...

“Your steadfast love...

“Your loving-kindness...

“Your mercy...

...is better than life.”

Jeremiah in his writings titled Lamentations wrote:

“The steadfast love of God never ceases,

His mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is His faithfulness.”

God is loving, kind, merciful. His love, kindness and mercy is unfailing, steadfast, never ending, renewed daily, faithful.

This is God the way you need to get to know Him.

He's not this way just with Believers.

He's this way with Unbelievers too.

And more.

The disciple John wrote about God loving His creation – all of it – to such an extent that He sent Jesus to redeem all of it back to Himself.

All includes you.

Paul wrote about Jesus’ death and said He died to Sin once, for all.

All includes you.

Paul continues with this: “In the same way, count yourself dead to Sin.”

God sees you as dead to Sin, so

see yourself as dead to Sin in Christ.

Once and done.

End of story.

Freed from Sin.

Eternally.

It’s God’s gift – God’s Grace – to you.

No charge.

Nothing expected in return.

Nothing means nothing.

Free.

Before Jesus, God punished sins and required blood sacrifice for sins.

It was insufficient for the removal of sins.

It only covered sins.

The prophet Hosea quoted God as saying He desires mercy, not sacrifice.

Matthew quoted Jesus as telling a group of Pharisees to learn what this means.

Later Matthew quotes Jesus as saying,

“If you had known what these words mean,

'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,'

you would not have condemned the innocent.”

Brothers and sisters, we are fortunate.

We live after the perfect sacrifice was made.

We are the innocent.

Redeemed.

Sanctified.

Blessed
Bought with blood.

Jesus was the final perfect sacrifice for Sin opening the floodgate of God’s unfailing, steadfast, never ending, new-every-morning mercy upon all creation.

All mankind.

Everyone.

That means you.

This is solid bedrock to be built upon in confidence.

The light is on.

When the light is on, all darkness flees.

Need sunglasses?