Sickening Sin

Romans 3:23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." As I am reading the first few chapters of Romans I am flooded with a mix of emotions and reactions. I first feel crushed and saddened that we have this amazing God who has a perfect track record of constantly saving us, providing for us, and following through with His promises and we STILL sin and BREAK His heart. I still sin and that disgusts me. It is a betrayal of my Lord and my Savior who sacrificed His body, His blood, and took on pain I can't even fathom for me! But, then I read Romans 3:24-26, " and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— ²⁶ he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus" and I remember I am a sinner but Jesus was the sacrifice. If He is my Savior and I do everything I can to live for Him, His death becomes my righteousness! His blood washes me white as snow! He is the perfect lamb that was sacrificed once and for all---for everyone! Jesus is my reason for smiling every day in this fallen world and being happy because I know the best part of the story! Jesus died in my place, became my righteousness, will be my mediator, and will save me a seat in Heaven. At this point, I really am wondering why people are not throwing themselves at the opportunity to give their lives to Jesus Christ? If you haven't maybe it is time. Jesus is the best part of this world and eternity! Every second of every day I chose Jesus! You should too! 

All content copyright © 2009 Amber Johnson. All rights reserved. You MUST GET WRITTEN PERMISSION to reprint or republish any of this material.

Fuzzy Feelings into Sacrifice

“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”- 1 John 3:18

It is not what we say but what we do that makes a difference. If you promise but never follow through, if you love but never sacrifice, if you say you will be there but never show up....there is no love. Love is what you do for others not the fuzzy feeling of butterflies and stomach turnings. Love is doing the hard thing, the thing you might not want to do or really don't want to do because it would be a blessing to that person. Act on your love and do something to bless those around you. Love is sacrifice. Love is hard. Love is what Christ did for us. The hard thing, the thing no one would want to do. He died on a cross for all of us, taking on Himself all our sin and shame, so we didn't have to suffer, die, and be defeated by our sin but could live victoriously in Him with the gift of eternal life in Him. Love....Jesus went above the standard above and beyond....He died so we could live, He sacrificed His perfect sinless heavenly divine self, He took all the pain, shame, sin, and defeat from everyone one and put it on His own shoulders, He loved us enough to act out His love on His way to the cross, on the cross, in the tomb, and ascending into heaven at the right hand of the Father. Can you even begin to imagine what it would have been like if Jesus only loved us with His words and never acted on it? Turn those fuzzy feelings and words into some real action and sacrifice. Model after the perfect role model of all time Jesus Christ.



Read this encouraging image and try to grasp as much of you can of the grand and eternal love of the Almighty Savior and Lord Christ Jesus.


God Bless and have a beautifully blessed weekend!!!


All content copyright © 2009 Amber Johnson. All rights reserved. You MUST GET WRITTEN PERMISSION to reprint or republish any of this material.