Receive His Grace

For we are God's handiwork, recreated in Christ Jesus, that we may do those good works which God predestined for us, that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:10

The Bible doesn't say that you have to have self-control in order to go to heaven.  You are free to be out of control if you want to; it is entirely up to you.  The Word does say that you have to believe that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior (see Romans 10:9-10).

But if you want to live the good life that God has prearranged and laid out for you before the foundation of the world, you will need to discipline yourself to do whatever His Word says to do or whatever the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart to do.  God offers you the grace to live a holy life that will reap many blessings in the days to come.

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The above is from my Joyce Meyer daily devotional, Starting Your Day Right.

I love that our heavenly Papa, God, says we have choice in our lives.  The only thing He asks of us is to take the free gift of Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  That last sentence stumped me for a few minutes because I wasn't sure what to type next.  Let me repeat that important sentence:

The only thing He asks of us is to take the free gift of Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Yup, there is a whole lot in that sentence and I'm feeling The Nudge to dig into those words but not today.

Today is about choice.  He doesn't ask a whole lot of us.  But He gives us a whole lot of choices.  Some choices we make won't have any affect on our lives or on future generations.  That kind of choice would be like...should I have a vanilla or chocolate ice cream on my cone.

In the world today, many of our choices will have a lasting affect.  We may be affected by the choices and for sure our children and our children's children will be affected.  It is really important that we know and think about the choices we have in front of us (individually, as families and as a nation).

The last paragraph in the devotion has these words:  discipline yourself to do whatever His Word says to do or whatever the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart to do.

We have a great guidebook in The Bible.  I am guilty of not using it as I should.  I am going to make the choice to change that and begin reading His Word.  I need to know His Word.

There is grace for us in our self-control or lack of self control.  However, to be lazy or to be so full of pride as to think I don't need to know what is in God's Word, that is wrong.  That is a bad choice.

Would you consider making a good choice with me today?  Let's make the choice to read from God's Word and ask the Holy Spirit to make it something we desire to do every day.

That...would be a good decision!

You are amazing and I know that God is crazy about you!