Tuesday, September 9, 2014

It’s Free!

 
For it is by grace you have been saved,
through faith--and this not
from yourselves,
it is the gift of God--
not by works, so that no
one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
 
You young’uns might not remember this song.
 
Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin.
 
From way back in 1971
 
I thought of this song when I saw these stairs in Grand Central Station in Washington D.C.

  
"There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold
 And she’s buying a stairway to heaven."
 
What a scary idea!
 

Can we ever buy our way to heaven?
 
What can we use to pay the price?
  • Doing good things?
  • Helping others?
  • Going to church?
  • Believing that God is real?
Can we ever pile up enough good works that we can buy our way to heaven?
 
Salvation and the hope of heaven are wonderful gifts given to us by God through the love and sacrifice of His Son Jesus.
 
He gives it to us because He loves us beyond what we can imagine.
 
When we stumble, we know that God won’t throw us out.
 
When we have bad days, we know God won’t reject us.
 
What precious confidence we have that we don’t have to buy God’s love.

 
 

We don’t have to earn His grace.
 
We don’t have to pay at the gate of heaven so He will let us in.
 
God’s love and grace are free because Jesus paid the price on the cross. We only have to accept it.
 
Heaven is free because Jesus was resurrected from the dead.
  • We can't do anything to buy it.
  • We can’t do anything to earn it.
  • We can’t do anything to lose it.
God does everything!
 
 
 It is free!
 
What joy and confidence does it give you that your stairway to heaven is free?
 
Photo credit gold coins: yuiyizhuravov 

Friday, September 5, 2014

Can Your Temple Survive an Earthquake?

by +SherryCarter
 

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and
that God's Spirit lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16

The National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Breathtaking.

Majestic.

Then this strange sight:

A tower, surrounded by scaffolding.

Several years ago, the cathedral was weakened by an earthquake and the scaffolding supports it so men can repair and strengthen it.

Scaffolding.

Support.

Repair.

Strengthen.

I looked at it and thought of my body.

The temple of the Holy Spirit.

Earthquakes come into my life and weaken my faith.

Circumstances shake my foundation.
  • The death of a loved one.
  • Divorce.
  • Financial worries.
  • Sorrow.
How am I going to stand?

Then the tower reminds me.

 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress,
I will not be shaken. Psalm 62:6

He is my fortress.

He supports my life with His grace and love.

He tenderly repairs the weak places.

He strengthens my faith through His faithfulness.


I might be shaking - He is my sure foundation.

I might stumble - He upholds me with His grace.

I might be hurting - He repairs my heart with His love.

He alone is my Rock.

He alone is my salvation.

He alone is my fortress.

I am learning to trust Him so I will not be shaken.

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. John 14:9
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. Psalm 13:5
 
 
How has God been your strong fortress during an earthquake?
 
Photo credit: Fortress