Scripture

For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

~James 2:10, NKJV

Quote

There is only one way I can get right with God, and that is the death of His Son Jesus Christ.

~Oswald Chambers

The law is holy, perfect and good. It reflects the character of God who is holy, just and good, but the law is unyielding. The law has no ability to show mercy. The law has no compassion; it shows no pity for weakness. The law is rigid, hard, cold and unforgiving. So why did God give the law? The law was our instructions on how to live an abundant life but God knew that we were incapable of keeping it. In my very first year in the ministry, I remember having the idea that God sent the law to save us, it failed and then God’s plan B was Jesus but that is incorrect. We were sinners long before God gave the law and He did not give it to save us, He gave it to show us our need for a Savior. Jesus is not, has never been plan B. Jesus is plan A because God knew that the only way He could save us was by His GRACE. God’s plan from the beginning was GRACE. God would pay the price for our sins and He did so by sending His Son who lived a perfect life and then laid down that perfect life as a sacrifice to atone for our sins. The older I get, the more I appreciate the old rugged cross.

I scanned my Billy Graham devotional the yesterday: I went all the way back to January 1. Belinda gave it to me to read on the flight to Israel and this story is one that I read on the plane and I don’t think I shared it. I was looking for one thing and I found another. It comes from the biography of Queen Victoria who made it a habit to visit the commoners and even the slums. On one such visit, she visited a very poor older woman. When the Queen arose to leave she said, “Is there anything I can do for you?” The old woman’s said, “Yes, your majesty. You can meet me in heaven.” The queen turned to her and said softly, “Yes, I will be there, but only because of the blood that was shed on the cross for you and me.” Wow, that’s enough to make an Episcopalian shout.

Extra

It is Friday December 2…the days fly, the weeks fly and the months fly. I’ve already started wishing people a Merry Christmas because it will be here in the blink of an eye. I hope you have a Good Friday and a good weekend. Be sure and pray for your pastor as he prepares his Sunday message. Keep praying for the Cancer Warriors. Got an encouraging text from Keith Blackwood yesterday. Keith has many gifts and one of them is encouragement. He sits on the second row at DBC and he listens and that is encouraging to a preacher. I have never figured out why Baptist love the back row unless it is to spectate instead of participate.