Have Yet to Realize God's Mercy & Grace

(A Post By Monica)Follow @KeeperofGodsWrd

"And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as His children? He said: My child, don't make light of the LORD's discipline and don't give up when He corrects you. For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one He accepts as His child" - Hebrews 12:5-6 

Within the past year, a childhood friend of mine has been released from prison. He was there for over 14 years for burglary. He had a drug problem, which led to him burglarizing a home mid-day with no regard to neighbors seeing him. It was a relief that he was imprisoned because I just knew that he'd get the help he needed (for drug use, some type of job trade & h.s. diploma & if he were open for it, accepting Jesus Christ as His personal LORD & Savior - being spiritually intact & ready for God to make his latter life better than his beginning). During his time in, his grandmother died, his children went from toddlers to young adults, all of his childhood friends (including myself) moved & any obstacle that would remind him of the past (thus possibly being a "trigger" for ideas of returning to his old ways) was nowhere to be found when he was released from prison. Although he had a nice quiet home to return to, family that was willing to help him phase back into society, and children that forgave his past... he decided to go straight out & get high. In 2 months after his release, he got arrested for drug possession and spent 8 months there. Each time he was imprisoned/jailed, he was offered rehab, housing with sponsors (DHS Supervision) & job opportunities until being slowly brought back into society -after being released. Each time, he refused. It was painful & upsetting that he did not want to do better. Although I have accepted it, this is not something I wanted for him. Just imagine how God feels...


In Isaiah 1:18, God is pleading with his children to do right by saying "Come now, and let us reason together saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" - God wants a relationship with His children but so often, His children refuse to turn to Him.


 It is always so tragic when the grace runs out & the person that decided to never come back to God, dies in their sin. 


There is another illustration of rebellion in the bible, which is not so lighthearted, which occurs in Revelation 20:1-8, when Satan is left on earth to ponder for 1000 years with nobody to tempt, kill or deceive. As we know, he doesn't learn his lesson because the moment God allows Satan to be loosed, he goes on to gather his army, trying to battle against God. However, we know how that turn out (v9-11). But Satan's foolishness didn't reveal to him that it was impossible to sin against God, never repent, continue on in his evil ways, and actually escape judgment & everlasting punishment. 


Although Satan has no chance of repentance because he committed the unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:29)... We still have a chance! And so does my childhood friend... It is imperative to take that unmerited grace that God gives & repent for all sins (remembered & forgotten, known & unknown, past & present) so that we can be sealed by Christ & be found blameless on the day of judgment, receiving everlasting life & not eternal punishment. 


Christ tells us in Luke 15:7 that all in the heavens rejoice if even ONE sinner repents! We actually have the entire host of heavens rooting us on... wanting us to ask Christ to come into our heart & change our wicked ways... wanting us to fully submit our will to God & verbally admit that our way is nowhere near the best way... wanting us to take the mask off and stop pretending that our lives are whole & complete without God. The moment we do this & continue to be humbled by who God is, having fear that He could (at anytime) have taken our lives and destroyed us because that's what we deserve - Christ will come in & help us change our wicked ways.. Now THAT is true security, love and assurance!


So please, understand it does not matter if you broke all 10 commandments... If you will just open your heart, accept responsibility for the sins you committed by repenting & ask Christ to cleanse you of your past.. You can know that Acts 3:19 which says  "Now repent of your sins and return to God, that your sins may be wiped away" - will apply to you!