Grace, Goodness & Mercy
He Will Never Leave You nor Forsake You
God does not operate the way we do. His thoughts and actions are completely different from ours, and on a much higher level. Unlike religion, which tells us we must earn God’s blessings, God blesses us not because of what we do, but because of who He is. Religion says God will punish us with curses if we do not behave properly; however, Jesus took all of the curses meant for us when He went to the cross. Unlike under the law, under grace, God shows us mercy and favor without us having to deserve it. No one is good enough to deserve God’s goodness, but He has chosen to be good to us no matter what we have done. Realizing that He is no longer our harsh judge but now our loving Father increases our faith in Him. Notes: 1. God does not operate like the world. He shows us grace, first, before appealing to us. Under grace, God first reminds us of what He has done; then, on the basis of that, He appeals for a life in harmony with what He did. 2. God’s ways are different from man’s ways. He gave us His Word so that we could become familiar with His ways, and learn to think and act like Him. The Holy Spirit helps us in this process. 3. God does not punish or kill people. He uses mercy, not condemnation, to change us. 4. Under grace, we do not have to “watch out” or God will punish us; God now watches out for us to keep us safe and protected. 5. We must not confuse the God who was the judge in the Old Testament with the God who is the Father in the New Testament. Jesus took all of our judgment so that God could love us with no restraints or restrictions.
JOY & VITALITY
VULNERABILITY & AUTHENTICITY
