"Costly Grace"

"For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous." - Romans 5:19

Sin is distortion;

Sin is perversion;

Sin is deception;

Sin is evil;

Sin is disobedience

When Christ calleth a man he bids him come and die; to come and live and be whole again. The man follows leaving his old life behind. This new Life is his Center. The Source for all his pleasure and worth. But this man must obey the call; he must leave the boat. This man must obey because he who loves obeys; and he who obeys loves. This man is obedient because he believes; he believes because he is obedient. Jesus is the Answer. Without Him we have a crippled hollow religion. Without Him we have nothing. To follow the Word of God is to obey the Word of God. It is fire to the soul. Freedom from the world. Letting go of control; letting go of all selfish desires; letting go of all pride; letting go all to see God simple in his all. That is surrender. Letting go simply all to see God simply in His all. Its to follow, "I am coming Your way". Its answering the call "Come to me". That we may Live; that we may have Life; thay we may be full of joy everlasting. For there is only One thing that matters; and its Him. It will always be Him. The Lord always redirects our hearts back; and its Him. One must obey to follow; to leave it all behind, a total abandonment. It is not something that is easy; nor is it burdensome. That is the beauty of following Christ. When we resist; it is very heavy. When we say "Yes Lord Yes Lord" it is light; gloriously light! It is this personal relationship; this eternal covenant that is established. This fellowship with the Son of God. That alone transforms you. That alone gives your life purpose. That alone gives your life meaning. That alone is your Rock. For "I will never leave you nor forsake you"; therefore we can have peace with God, therefore we not only walk to God; we run to God! "Lord I am coming Your way!" "Lord I am coming Your way!" For this life has left me dry! It has left me empty! It hasn't fullfilled! And you leave me speechless. You leave me with Life. "Yes Lord Yes Lord; I am coming Your way!". But not only that; he that obeys overcomes. Only the man who can overcome this life is the man that has faith in the Son who overcame this world. He is the Overcomer. And he who rests in the victory already given to him by the Lord overcomes. For the devil is a liar. He can only speak lies; that toothless lion! He is out to kill steal and destroy. But I recall this to mind "For he is greater in you than he that is in the world." Therefore the victory has been won; the battle ended, the war eternally sealed as "Victory!". Yes to follow the Lord is glorious light. What He wants is all of you. Not fragments. But the whole. All of the heart! All of the mind! All of the soul! All of the strength! It is a vocation of total abandonment; to become totally His. He will be your Refuge; He will be your Fortress. But not only on Sunday morn; we must not just give him Sunday morn! We must give him our lives! We must give him all of us! For then and only then shall we declare that sacred word with power: "Hallelujah!" Lord give us ears to hear. And eyes to see. And hearts to understand. In Your Holy Name I pray Amen.